Parole denied for Vernon Cox amid strong law-enforcement and victim opposition

The Committee on Parole denied parole for Vernon Leon Cox, DOC 86813, during an April 23, 2025 hearing held remotely at Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) and convened at DOC headquarters in Baton Rouge.

Cox told the board he sought mercy, expressed remorse and said he had completed programs including Kairos, victim-impact and substance-abuse classes. His attorney, William Dies, told the board Cox is 67, a U.S. Marine veteran, has completed reentry programs, has family support in Natchitoches and faces medical issues including prostate cancer.

Multiple family members of the victim and representatives from the district attorney’s office and the tenth judicial district spoke in strong opposition. Tenth Judicial District representative Billy Harrington told the panel the facts of the case originally supported a second-degree murder conviction and that the office opposed release. Victim relatives described the killing as premeditated and recalled severe harm to their family.

Warden and facility staff said Cox had been a trustee with no recent write-ups and had participated in programming while in the medical dorm. Still, board members pointed to the violent nature of the crime, Cox’s record and widespread law-enforcement opposition when explaining their votes.

After deliberation, the panel voted to deny parole. Board members stated the seriousness of the offense, the breadth of law-enforcement opposition and victim-family objections outweighed Cox’s behavior in custody and program participation.