Dakota Theriot is a killer from Louisiana who was convicted of five murders including his own parents
According to court documents Dakota Theriot was kicked out of his parents home due to his behavior. Theriot would move into the home of his girlfriend’s family
On the day of the killings Dakota Theriot would use a gun he had stolen from his father to kill three members of his girlfriend’s family: Billy Ernest, aged 43, Summer Ernest, aged 20, and Tanner Ernest, aged 17;. Dakota would then drive to his parents home where he would shoot his mother and father: Elizabeth Theriot, and Keith Theriot, both 51, who would later die in the hospital from their injuries
Dakota Theriot would then flee the scene setting off a large manhunt. Theriot would eventually be arrested in Virginia and extradited back to Louisiana
Dakota Theriot would plead guilty to the five murders and would be sentenced to life in prison
Dakota Theriot Case
On the morning of Jan. 11, Dakota Michael Theriot, 25, plead guilty to five charges of First-Degree Murder and was sentenced to as many life sentences.
Theriot first pled guilty to three counts of First-Degree Murder in Livingston Parish, and Judge Brenda Ricks imposed three life sentences to be served without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. He is then expected to plea guilty to the two other First-Degree Murder charges and receive two more life sentences from Judge Jason Verdigets in Ascension Parish later today.
In January of 2019, Theriot shot and killed five people in both Livingston and Ascension Parishes.
At the time of the murders, his father, Keith Theriot, and his stepmother, Elizabeth Theriot, resided in Gonzales, but Theriot was living with Billy, Summer and 16-year-old Tanner Ernest on Courtney Rd. in Walker.
On Jan. 26, Livingston Parish authorities arrived at the Ernest family residence to find Billy, Summer and Tanner dead from fatal gunshot wounds.
They then discovered Theriot stole Billy Ernest’s vehicle and drove to Church Point Rd. in Gonzales to kill Keith and Elizabeth Theriot.
After killing the Ernest family and his father and stepmother, Theriot fled the state in Ernest’s vehicle.
Authorities were able to track the truck to Virginia where Theriot was apprehended, arrested and extradited to Louisiana.
A grand jury indicted Theriot, and Louisiana then filed motions seeking the death penalty. Theriot will serve five life sentences but will not receive the death penalty. The Twenty-first Judicial District Attorney’s Office of Scott Perrilloux made this decision in consideration of the victim’s families to offer them resolution and prevent further trauma.
“As in any decision made when resolving a case, consideration is given to the victims and their families, the community, and the legal and factual posture of the case in its entirety,” said Perrilloux. “The victims’ families have agreed with the defendant’s plea and sentence. We appreciate their patience and cooperation. Mr. Theriot will spend the remainder of his life in prison. Our office has reviewed numerous and extensive psychological records of the defendant setting out a very documented history of his mental illness. Seeking the death penalty, although factually warranted, would lead to protracted and likely never ending litigation for the victims’ families to endure. After much review, discussion, and consideration, we felt this was the best outcome.”
On January 11, 2023, 25-year-old Dakota Theriot of 35 Good Hope St. Norco, LA., pled guilty to two counts of First Degree Murder in connection with the shooting death of his parents, Keith and Elizabeth Theriot, both 50 years of age. Theriot was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Dupaty, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Jason Verdigets.
On January 26, 2019, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a Gonzales residence after receiving a 911 call in which the caller appeared to be in distress. Upon arrival, deputies located Keith and Elizabeth Theriot suffering from gunshot wounds inside the residence. Both victims were transported to an area hospital where they were both pronounced deceased. Prior to Keith Theriot succumbing to injuries sustained from gunfire, he made statements to deputies indicating that his son, Dakota Theriot, was the shooter. Detectives were able to obtain evidence corroborating the dying declaration of Keith Theriot. After an extensive manhunt, Theriot was later apprehended in Virginia and was subsequently extradited back to Louisiana where he was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail.
Upon entering a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charges, Theriot was sentenced to life in prison without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence on both counts.
Dakota Theriot pleads guilty in deadly shooting spree; receives life sentence
