Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Deputies Attempt to Capture Federal Fugitive; Ends with Fugitive Taking His Owns Life

According to Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Public Information Officer Eddie Langlinais, on Nov. 23, at approximately 9 a.m., a Vermilion Parish Sheriff Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a motorcycle for the driver not wearing a helmet. The incident location was on Louisiana Highway 700 at the intersection of Shelly Road.
During the traffic stop interview, the motorist could not produce proper identification and subsequently gave false information about who he was. A second VPSO Sheriff Deputy arrived on the scene to assist. Deputies continued to investigate in attempts to identify the motorist when the motorist slowly retrieved a handgun from a saddlebag he was holding, but never pointed at or threatened deputies with it. Deputies drew their firearms for protection and ordered the subject to comply. The subject turned away and fled on foot into a thick/tall grassy field off Shelly Road. A perimeter was set up to contain the situation while the VPSO Special Response Team was called out for response deployment.
Through further investigation, the subject was identified as Kelly Vaughn (AKA: Kelly Edward Griffin, 43. Identity was confirmed through Undersheriff Jeff Smoltz of Casper County, Wyoming by use of a photograph. VPSO dispatch then confirmed that Vaughn was wanted by the U. S. Marshal’s Office on an arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court of Montana and had been entered into NCIC file with indicators that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The offense was listed as Possession of a Weapon with a no bail warrant.
The VPSO and Louisiana State Police used aerial drones to locate Vaughn hiding in the thick tall grassy field. Surveillance verified that Vaughn was armed with a handgun. Drones maintained surveillance on his location while crisis negotiators were used to communicate with Vaughn in an attempt to get Vaughn to surrender peacefully. During negotiations, Vaughn fired shots at the drones and made several statements threatening suicide, stating he was not going back to jail.
At 4:24 p.m., Vaughn shot himself in the head with the handgun he was armed with. Drone video footage captured Vaughn committing suicide. The VPSO response team immediately moved into Vaughn’s location to secure the scene for Acadian Ambulance medics to attempt to render aid but reported and confirmed no signs of life.
A Death notification to Vaugh’s family in Carbon County, Montana was being made by Sheriff Mcquillian with Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Sheriff Mike Couvillon, he received calls from several residents in the area, concerned with the magnitude of law enforcement presence around their homes but they were also relieved once the ordeal was over, knowing their families were safe. The Sheriff thanked his deputies, and his Special Response Team for their professionalism, patience, and tactical handling of this type of call. “Our deputies and response teams are trained to handle these types of emergencies, and although the loss of any life is never the outcome we hoped for, the ability of the deputies to contain and deal with this type of emergency is an example of their brave and unwavering commitment to protect and serve the people of Vermilion Parish,” said the Sheriff.
The Sheriff also thanked the Louisiana State Police for assisting his deputies on the call.