Jody Thomas Thrasher, a 47-year-old man who had been on the run since Sunday after escaping from Evangeline Parish Jail, reached out to KLFY News 10 to “tell his side of the story.”
Thrasher was ultimately arrested by Lake Charles authorities on Tuesday evening, but let’s rewind and look at what transpired between KLFY News 10 and the Lafayette Police Department in relation to the escaped inmate and his alleged proposition to surrender.
Dwight Dugas, the Operations Manager at News 10, engaged in a conversation with Thrasher, discussing the possibility of taking him to the hospital and persuading him to surrender once they discovered his inmate status. News 10 promptly contacted all the relevant authorities and requested Thrasher to come to Lafayette, to which he agreed.
News 10, alongside the Lafayette Police authorities, patiently waited at Lafayette Consolidated Government for a couple of hours, anticipating Thrasher’s arrival. However, he failed to show up, leading to an exchange between Dugas and the escapee over the phone.
News 10, KLFY
“Dude, I’m sitting here waiting for you, it’s been like half an hour,” Dugas informed Thrasher, slightly frustrated by his absence.
In response, Jody Thomas Thrasher replied, “I’ve been trying to get you the footage. If I show up without it, people will think I’m lying.”
Dugas suggested that the station could work on the footage, but stressed the importance of Thrasher being physically present.
“I want everyone to know everything that has happened and how they’ve falsely accused me. I was set up by the law,” the escapee expressed his grievances.
“Okay, but Jody, if I can’t tell your story, what are we doing here?” Dugas questioned, emphasizing the need for the escapee’s interview.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. [His wife] sent you the footage, and when you have it, we can discuss the story. The footage tells it all,” Thrasher insisted to Dugas.
Trying to assure Thrasher that assistance was being provided, Dugas mentioned the importance of trust, saying, “Hey, look, I’m here to help you. Like I said before, if you can’t trust me, then we can’t work together, but I genuinely want to help you.”
Concerned by Dugas’ connection to the sheriff, Thrasher exclaimed, “But you mentioned that you knew the sheriff; that scares me.”
Dugas clarified, “Well, yes, I know the sheriff. It can actually be a good thing because I can communicate with him and find out if something is going wrong.”
In a panicked tone, Thrasher exclaimed, “This goes all the way up to the judge! This is a big deal, not something minor. There’s a lot of messed up stuff happening, all the way up to the judge.”
“Okay, Jody, I’ll investigate everything, that’s what I’m telling you,” Dugas assured him.
However, Thrasher remained unconvinced. He requested the involvement of a federal agent and insisted on speaking to one before proceeding with the interview.
When Officer Wayne Griffin from Lafayette PD answered the phone, asking, “Jody, what’s happening, man?” Thrasher abruptly hung up. News 10 attempted to reconnect with him multiple times but was unsuccessful.
According to News 10, Sheriff Charles Guillory denied Thrasher’s accusations.
Thrasher is currently in police custody under the supervision of the Lake Charles law enforcement. See the latest updates along with the original story on Thrasher’s escape here via KLFY News 10.
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