In Arnaudville, Louisiana, a devastating incident unfolded over Labor Day weekend, marking the community’s first homicide in three years. On August 30, 2025, at approximately 6:27 p.m., a heated altercation inside the video poker room of Tiger Touchdown, a beloved Main Street store affectionately known as “Butch’s,” turned deadly. The tragedy claimed the life of 31-year-old Nathan Powell, leaving two families and a close-knit community grappling with profound loss.
According to Arnaudville Police Chief Josh Ross, the incident began as a brief confrontation between Powell and 22-year-old Hayden Boudreaux, who were acquaintances with a history of tension. The dispute escalated rapidly when Boudreaux allegedly drew a firearm from his pocket and fired two shots. One bullet struck Powell in the neck, a wound that proved fatal despite efforts to save him. Officers arrived at the scene around 6:30 p.m., initiating CPR until an ambulance transported Powell to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, Boudreaux fled the scene, but law enforcement, with assistance from the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police, swiftly tracked him to his residence. By 7:34 p.m., Boudreaux was apprehended without further incident and charged with second-degree murder. He was booked into St. Landry Parish Jail, where he remains as the investigation continues.
Chief Ross, reflecting on the rarity of such violence in Arnaudville, expressed the community’s shock and sorrow. “I’ve been chief for three years, and we’ve had no homicides in that time. From what I know, there’s only been one other in the town’s history, long before my tenure,” he said. The senselessness of the act weighed heavily on Ross, who noted the devastating impact on both families. “These were two young men, one in his 20s, one in his early 30s, with their whole lives ahead. Now, both families have lost a son in a senseless act of violence.”
The tragedy at Tiger Touchdown has cast a shadow over Arnaudville, a town unaccustomed to such violence. Ross emphasized the broader context of rising gun violence, not just in St. Landry Parish but across the state and nation. “We’re seeing an increase in young men resorting to guns. Our advice is simple: put the guns down. This didn’t need to happen,” he urged.
As the investigation continues, authorities are calling on the public for assistance. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Arnaudville Police Department. For now, the community mourns, grappling with the loss of a life and the innocence of a town forever changed by a fleeting moment of violence.