Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / July 6, 1998

LAPLACE – A third arrest in the shooting death of Bobby Volion was announced Thursday afternoon by the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office.Lt. Michael Tregre stated that Marquell Gardner, 18, 408 Homewood Drive,Reserve, is charged with being a principal to armed robbery and the first- degree murder of Volion, 29, of Garyville, shot four times in the back Sunday night while working as a security guard at Junior Food Mart in Garyville.

Gardner has been in custody since Sunday night, picked up on a non-related cruelty to juveniles warrant which charged him with violently beating two LaPlace juveniles with a belt.

“He was involved before, during and after,” Tregre said of Gardner’s involvement with the death of Volion.

Crandell Turner, 17, of Garyville, has been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in the case. Thursday morning Turner was incourt before 40th Judicial District Judge J. Sterling Snowdy to have anattorney assigned from the Indigent Defender Board. Richard Stricks wasassigned to Turner, according to a spokesman in the District Attorney’s office.

Preliminary motions are scheduled Aug. 17 in Division B, before JudgeMary Hotard Becnel.

Close on the heels of Turner’s arrest was that of Cornelius Lee, 29, 108 Historic East St., Garyville. Tregre reported that Lee is charged with beingan accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and accessory after the fact to armed robbery.

Tregre said Lee, assigned Jerry Baloney as his court-appointed attorney, was charged “for concealing evidence being aggressively sought by St.

John Parish investigators.”Tregre refused to elaborate as to the nature of the evidence. He did add onThursday, however, that the weapon used to fire four shots into Volion’s back had not yet been recovered.

“We’ve been tearing Garyville apart, looking for it,” Tregre noted.

Volion only started work at the store June 26, trying to earn enough money for medical treatment for his wife, according to family members. Theysaid Volion didn’t want to take the job because he would not be permitted to carry a firearm and he thought it was dangerous, but he needed the money. He had previously worked in the same capacity at the storeMarie Volion, Bobby Volion’s wife, was on the telephone with her husband when Turner allegedly walked in and fired at Volion. She heard the fatalshots, hung up and phoned 9-1-1 at 10:03 p.m. The first deputies arrived atthe scene three minutes later. Volion died shortly thereafter at St. JamesParish Hospital, Lutcher.

Return To News Stories