TERREBONNE PARISH, La. — Five and a half years ago, in October of 2018, LaRondell Esko’s family reported him missing in Terrebonne Parish.
“Esko was last seen leaving a card game at a residence on the West side of Houma on October 16, 2018, in a 2003 Ford Expedition,” said Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Tim Soignet.
That vehicle was found ten days later in Dulac, but Esko, 45, was nowhere to be found. His family was left with no answers.
“That’s a long time for them to be wondering about their loved one, if he’s gone, did he disappear, did something happen to him,” said Sheriff Soignet.
The case went cold, until last month. Sheriff Soignet says investigators learned Esko, on the same night he was last seen, had been invited by Glen Rodriguez, 37, and Ashlee Cantrelle, 25, to their home in Chauvin.
“We can confirm that Rodriguez and Cantrelle are in a relationship,” said Sheriff Soignet.
Soignet says all three knew each other and during interviews last week, Rodriguez and Cantrelle made admissions.
“Once at the residence, Esko was lured to the rear of the property where he was murdered by Rodriguiz,” said Sheriff Soignet.
Soignet says the intentional murder was drug-related but wouldn’t say how Ekso was killed.
Soignet says Rodriguez put Esko’s body in a small pond at the back of the property on Bayouside Drive. Crews spent two days last week draining the water out of it.
“On April 5th and 6th authorities and crime scene personnel recovered human remains,” said Sheriff Soignet.
Although Soignet has no doubt whose remains those are, investigators are working with a forensic anthropologist and the FACES Laboratory at LSU to positively identify them as Esko’s.
“All of the evidence pointed to where the crime occurred and where the remains are,” said Sheriff Soignet.
District Attorney Joe Waitz says the evidence in this case is mind-blowing considering how long Esko has been missing. Both Rodriguez and Cantrelle were charged with first-degree murder and obstruction of justice.
“This case is very solid, and I feel very confident we’re going to get convictions in this case,” said Waitz.
What Waitz doesn’t know yet is whether it’ll turn into a capital murder case.
“Could that be a possibility, it could be. I don’t know yet,” said Waitz. “We will confer with the families and make a decision.”
Families the sheriff says are a priority, which is why his office never gave up.
“It was a very difficult time for them so we owe the families and we owe them that justice and that closures they deserve,” said Sheriff Soignet.
The bond for Rodriguez was set at $805,000. Cantrelle’s bond is $800,000. Both are in the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex.
Sheriff Soignet says the case is still active and investigators are working to determine whether more arrests are possible.
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