A Jefferson Parish jury Friday convicted a Ponchatoula man for killing his dead sister's boyfriend and a companion in January 2022.
It took barely more than half-an-hour for the panel to find 30-year-old Cody Labranche guilty of first degree murder in the fatal shootings of 39-year-old Jonathan Pizzuto and 36-year-old William Mitchell.
The jury also convicted Labranche of obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors said Labranche blamed Pizzuto for his siste's drug overdose death in 2020.
On January 17, 2022, Labranche drove from Ponchatoula to Metairie and entered Pizzuto's residence in the 600 block of Rosa Ave. through an unlocked side door.
He then shot and killed Pizzuto and Mitchell, Pizzuto's roommate, as the two played video games in the living room.
Detectives say Labranche then searched the home for the urn containing his sister's remains, but could not find them. Labranche instead took the dog that Pizzuto and his sister, Brittany, owned together.
Prosecutors declined to seek the death penalty. Labranche will be formally sentenced to life in prison without parole on Dec. 4.
