LOUISIANA – It was dark and grim Sunday night for the family of 31-year-old Christon Chaisson.
On Aug. 27, 2017, the warm summer heat filled the air and rain fell onto the street where Chaisson would live out his final moments.
“This is a human being that was killed, we have lost a life. A father, a husband, a brother, a cousin, and he is no longer with us,” said Kelley Jolivette, Chaisson’s cousin.
Family members say Christon Chaisson tried to intervene when he saw someone allegedly beating up his girlfriend.
“He saw something that was going on that he wasn’t, he didn’t feel was appropriate and he stepped in,” Jolivette said back in 2018.
When Chaisson stepped in, 20-year-old Tyler Benoit allegedly shot and killed him.
Officers arrived on the scene and located Chaisson with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Chaisson died from his injuries at the hospital.
Chaisson left behind his family, wife, and his 3-year-old son.
For nearly four years, the family of Chaisson has waited for his alleged killer to face trial.
“You can’t take a life and expect to live your own,” Jolivette said.
After Benoit turned himself into authorities for Chaisson’s murder in August, he was indicted on second-degree murder charges,
Benoit has been out on bond since 2017. He was placed under house arrest and was only able to go to designated places allowed by the courts.
“It is just so wrong at this time. This young man is under the comfort of his family, and we have to go to a grave site to actually experience any piece of Christon that’s left, and that’s just so wrong,” said Jolivette back in 2018.
The family is once again opening up and sharing Chaisson’s story as his alleged murderers court day rapidly approaches.
“He woke up Christmas morning and got to spend it with his family. We got to visit a grave,” Jolivette said.
Benoit will stand trial on March 29, 2021 if he does not enter a plea agreement on March 25.
“We have no justice, we have no closure, we have nothing at this time,” Jolivette said.
Benoit would have been on trial come Feb. 1, 2021, however, due to COVID-19 precautions, the date was pushed back.
