Overview
- Deputies responding to a disturbance at an Elmwood apartment found 28-year-old Meridian Thomas Woodson dead inside and then located a nearby vehicle where her 30-year-old ex-husband was suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- Kody Woodson was rushed to a hospital after he was found and he later died of his injuries, authorities confirmed.
- Court records show the couple had been engaged in a long, contentious divorce and custody battle over their daughters, and both had filed allegations of domestic violence against the other.
- The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has not announced a formal motive and says the investigation is active as detectives continue to gather forensic and witness evidence.
- Friends and neighbors have organized a GoFundMe and a memorial service to support the two children, and local advocates warn that separation and custody disputes can raise the risk of lethal violence and urge people to seek help early.