La. Assistant D.A. Named ‘Person of Interest’ in Dennis Hall’s Homicide

MANY, LA. — Louisiana law enforcement authorities have confirmed that a Sabine Parish assistant district attorney was named a “person of interest” in the investigation into the June 21 slaying of Dennis R. Hall, 36, formerly of Wildwood Crest, who relocated to Converse, La. with his family about a year and a half ago.
Hall was the eldest son of Cape May County Herald Publisher Art and Patricia Hall. His wife, Celeste, twins Collin and Isabella, 10 and Anya, 4, survive him. A memorial service was hosted July 12 by The Lighthouse Church, where Dennis and Celeste and family had been members. It was held at Middle Township Elementary School No. 2 and was attended by about 200.
The Halls had been renovating the 300-acre family farm in Converse, in north central Sabine Parish, where generations of the family had been raised, and where the large family regularly gathered for reunions.
In a July 21 Shreveport Times story, region reporter Vickie Welborn wrote that “Charles D. “Chuck” Soileau was at the top of a suspect list that once had three names on it.”
Soileau has been placed on paid administrative leave as of July 17 pending the outcome of the investigation, she wrote.
Three weeks ago, Sabine District Attorney (equivalent to a county prosecutor) Don Burkett removed his office from any dealings with the investigation. The Sabine sheriff’s office is proceeding through the state attorney general’s office, Welborn wrote.
Soileau, who did not comment for her story, has not been charged with a crime, nor has a warrant been issued for his arrest.
The Soileaus and Halls were friends and had other friends in common, she wrote, and thus far, no motive has surfaced for the homicide.
Hall was shot at about 11:15 p.m. on Father’s Day near the carport of his home on Midway Road. He sustained two gunshot wounds, one to the stomach and another to the rib cage.
Hall’s personal 9-mm handgun was recovered by his body. It had not been fired, according to the Times’ story.
Hall went inside his house after the shooting, but died before emergency personnel could airlift him to a Shreveport hospital.
Three shotgun shells were recovered and remain at the Northwest Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory for testing, along with other evidence.
Guns from Hall’s and Soileau’s residences were seized for testing.
Welborn wrote, “Early reports indicated a property and hunting dispute could be behind Hall’s death. When Hall moved to the 300-acre family farm a year ago, hunters that had been frequenting the property for years were stopped. A man with whom Hall reportedly confronted over hunting issues was questioned but released after he provided an alibi of his whereabouts on the night of the shooting.”
Celeste Hall had been questioned as a suspect.
“She’s cooperating with us and has done everything we ask,” said Sabine Sheriff’s Detective Jack Staton, who would not elaborate on her cooperation. “We have questioned Chuck at one point, and he denied everything. We hope to talk to him again this week.”
Burkett had verbally notified the chief of the attorney general’s criminal section June 26 about a potential conflict involving his office. He later wrote a letter recusing his office from participating in the investigation.
Jennifer Roche, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Attorney General’s office, said she could not comment on the office’s involvement in an “open case,” Welborn wrote.
The FBI also is reportedly assisting, through forensic searches of computer files and communications via an iPhone.