Lieutenant Gerald Credeur, the one-time lead investigator on the Keiosha Felix case was fired Tuesday night by the Duson Town Council. Credeur's termination comes amid accusations that he illegally arrested two men in the case, but Credeur is not going down without a fight. Before his dismissal, Credeur's attorney revealed text messages she says are between Credeur and Duson Chief of Police Frank Andrew. They're messages, which if authentic, paint an unflattering and unprofessional picture of the top brass at Duson PD.
Before the council, Chief Andrew called for Credeur's arrest citing instances in which he says Credeur left him in the dark on the Felix investigation.
"He would brief me on some things, but then I'd find out that some of those things were not true," said Andrew.
Credeur was not present for Tuesday's hearing, but his attorney Joslyn Alex fired back. She presented the council with text messages, which apparently show frequent communication between Credeur and Andrew.
KATC obtained copies of the text messages presented to the council, but cannot independently verify their authenticity.
In an apparent mass text message to several officers on July 26, Chief Andrew allegedly wrote:
"We may be dealing with a human [trafficking] case, we may have [stepped] into something more than a runaway."
In another text, Andrew allegedly invoked the Mickey Shunick case as an apparent self-serving motive for wanting to solve Keiosha's disappearance, writing: "This is a make or [break] case, we can be heros or jester, Mickey hasn't been found, if we can find Keiosha we 10x better than other agencies [combined]."
On August 13th a number of different police agencies met at the Duson Police Department to discuss the Felix case. It was the same day that Ronald Wilkerson, one of four people arrested in the case, was released from jail (charges were later dropped against both he and his brother, Leon Wilkerson Junior). As Chief Andrew left the meeting that night, he refused to answer any questions about the status of Keiosha Felix, the investigation, and why Ronald Wilkerson was released from jail. In the alleged text messages from that day, Lt. Credeur wrote Chief Andrew with apparent doubts about the case.
Credeur: "Chief I'm done...they been trying to get something on us."
Andrew: "No, it's cool... You winning!"
Chief Andrew also allegedly disclosed he is related to Keiosha Felix. Writing on August 17th:
Andrew: "Missing girl grandma is my 1st cousin, her great grandma is my daddy's sister."
Credeur: "Damn y'all close...Have your family come in for an interview...lmao. And I don't like your cousin Patricia."
Andrew: "Guess I'm a suspect too, huh..."
Credeur: "Yea just bring the girl back...and tell your cousin in-law leon I don't like him. Lmao. I'm gonna need your DNA...Lol."
Andrew: "I'll get a lil family history today, having a get together in maurice..."
It's unclear if the Patricia referenced in the above conversation is in fact Patricia Andrus, Keiosha's aunt, who was charged with accessory to rape and improper supervision of a minor in the 15 year old's disappearance.
In one instance, Credeur also showed his reluctance to deal with the media.
Credeur: "Why the (expletive) is tv 3 still calling me..I'm not answering...you give [all] media details..lol."
Andrew: "I talk to them..Just got off the [phone], with them."
Credeur: "Cool thanks...you the man."
After glancing over some of the above text messages, some council members wanted to delay action on Credeur's employment status, however a motion to delay failed by a vote of 3-2. Credeur's termination was approved by that same margin, his attorney says she'll file a wrongful termination lawsuit against the Town of Duson within 60 days.