The parents of Kyren Lacy, a former standout wide receiver for LSU, have filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana State Police (LSP), claiming that a corrupt investigation and a “false arrest” led their son to take his own life.
Kenneth Lacy and Kandace Washington filed the legal action just days before the one-year anniversary of the athlete’s death, alleging that two state troopers purposefully manipulated evidence in a fatal 2025 traffic accident to frame their son.
Kyren Lacy was arrested in January 2025 following a head-on collision in Chackbay that resulted in the death of 78-year-old Herman Hall. At the time, LSP investigators alleged that Lacy was driving a Dodge Charger and had “recklessly passed multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed.” However, the lawsuit argues that this narrative was entirely manufactured, stating, “But for Defendants’ fabricated investigation, false arrest and malicious prosecution, Mr. Lacy would be alive today.”
The lawsuit highlights several disturbing allegations regarding the conduct of the troopers on the scene. According to the filing, body camera footage and video evidence contradict the official crash report. The suit claims a trooper tried to force a witness to blame Lacy, even though the witness pointed to another driver as the culprit. When the witness wouldn’t sign the statement, the trooper allegedly turned off his camera and marked the report as “refused.”
Furthermore, the legal team for the Lacy family points to a conversation captured on camera where a trooper reassured the driver they believe actually caused the wreck. The trooper reportedly told the woman and her mother that “she’s not being charged with nothing, so y’all don’t stress about that at all.”
The emotional toll of the looming trial and the public fallout proved to be too much for the young athlete. The lawsuit notes that an independent review by the Lafourche District Attorney’s office, which found “several inconsistencies” in the LSP report, was completed on April 11, 2025. Kyren Lacy died by suicide the very next day.
His parents are now seeking damages for wrongful death and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They claim their son was crushed by the “public scrutiny, reputational harm, loss of professional opportunities and mental anguish caused by Defendants’ wrongful accusations.”
