Physical altercation leads to stabbing death of coworker
Published 7:00 am Thursday, February 5, 2015
A Texas man died as a result of what witnesses report was an alleged altercation that led to a stabbing.
Picayune Police Department Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri said emergency personnel were called to a local motel on Memorial Boulevard at about 12:57 a.m. Wednesday concerning two people bleeding on the ground.
Officers arrived to find 38-year-old Albert LeBlanc Jr., of Vidor, Texas suffering from alleged stab wounds and 25-year-old Kyle Vidalier of Orange, Texas suffering from injuries allegedly sustained during a physical altercation, Magri said.
Both men were found on the ground covered in blood in front of two separate rooms at the motel, Magri said.
According to witness statements, a group of men from Texas working in the area traveled to Slidell, Louisiana that night to dine at a restaurant. Magri said the investigation showed LeBlanc and Vidalier allegedly engaged in a physical altercation in front of the motel upon returning to Picayune. During the altercation Vidalier allegedly stabbed LeBlanc a number of times in various parts of his body, Magri said. Vidalier also suffered injuries during the altercation, but none were said to be stab wounds, Magri said. A knife was recovered from the scene by investigators, Magri said.
Both men were transported to Highland Community Hospital for treatment of their respective wounds, which is where LeBlanc later succumbed to his injuries, Magri said. Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said a preliminary investigation states LeBlanc died as a result of a blood loss from the stab wounds, but an autopsy will be conducted on Thursday.
Magri said that Vidalier was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon after receiving treatment for the injuries he sustained during the alleged physical altercation and subsequently charged with murder for the death of LeBlanc.
The investigation showed alcohol appeared to play a contributing factor in the altercation, Magri said.