RAYNE - Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly issued a release Monday confirming that a couple had planned their suicides and took the life of their nine-year-old son. The crime was discovered Sunday afternoon.

“The final determination of the shooting ruled it was a murder and double suicide,”stated Stelly. “With the physical evidence found at the scene and suicide notes left behind it was clear that the nine-year-old youth was murdered and the two adults committed suicide.”

The adults have been identified as Emery Meaux Jr., 35, and Dana Lynn Vincent, 25, both residing at 304 W. Jeff Davis Avenue. Stelly did not release the name of the child but reports are that it was the couple’s son Devin who resided with them.

Reports that the child was about to be removed from the couple by OCS (Office of Community Services) could not be confirmed.

Apparently the couple had been suffering from a history of drug abuse but were attempting to clean themselves out. A relative of the couple stated that they had been going to a methadone clinic but that had gotten them hooked “on other drugs.”

Stelly stated that the investigation was ongoing.

Dozens of people looked on as the police removed the bodies of the victims on Sunday. Also killed in the crime was a dog owned by the couple.

Christine Dupuis, a cousin of Meaux’s, released a statement that mentioned another woman had been at the couple’s home Friday night and had helped them in planning of the crime.

However, Stelly neither confirmed or denied that his department was looking into this in his release on Monday.