ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) — In St. Landry Parish, former Director of Animal Control Terri Courville was arrested by Opelousas Police after threatening phone calls to parish council members were traced back to her phone.

Courville was fired from her position as director of St. Landry Parish Animal Control by Parish President Jessie Bellard in November of 2022.

“I was terminated for being a whistleblower to illegal activity,” said Courville.

In the months since, Courville has been vocal on social media saying she was wrongfully terminated, attended council meetings and pushed for an investigation into the parish president’s procedures to address the wrongful terminations.

Parish Councilwoman Vivian Olivier says parish council was set to vote on approving the investigation during a meeting in September, when she received a threatening phone call from Courville’s number and a speaker with a disguised voice just before the meeting.

“He asked me if I was Vivian Olivier and was I representing District 8. I said, ‘Yes sir.’ He said ‘You better vote right tonight, or else there might be some consequences.’ And we didn’t vote on anything that night, we tabled it,” said Olivier.

Olivier says she informed Opelousas Police of the call and authorities traced the phone back to Courville. Olivier added she is not the only one to receive these calls.

“A lady by the name of Lynn Lejeune from Eunice, she got several calls. I only got two, but she got several,” Olivier said.

Police confirmed Courville was arrested yesterday.

“I was having a meeting with Mr. Bellard yesterday, I did talk to the policeman, and he said by the time we finished with the meeting she had bonded out,” Oliver explained.

Olivier hopes Courville’s arrest will lead to the end of the threats and conflict.

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