ST. MARTIN PARISH, La. (KLFY) – It has been almost two months since the hit-and-run death of Chester Thibeaux, 49. The family spoke to News 10 after not receiving updates on Thibeaux’s case. 

Thibeaux’s niece Megan Gordon told News 10, “We don’t know what happened. We are still waiting for an autopsy report. We never got anything back from them. It was like everybody, and I understand like, you know, but it’s like everybody is just moving so slow, and we are just grieving, as a family and trying to move along with our life.”

She said the whole process has been “frustrating and sickening.” Thibeaux was the glue to the family and they want justice for his death. 

“When I didn’t have or when I lacked. I knew I could count on him, and just knowing that somebody that I cared for so much that I looked to as a father, that I looked to as somebody so strong in my life that can be taken away the way that he did,” she said. 

She also told News 10 that her uncle was at his girlfriend’s daughter’s baby shower on Friday, September 23, the last time they heard from him. She said that the family tried many times to contact Thibeaux but was unsuccessful. It was not until Sunday that Gordon said the family got a call from Thibeaux’s girlfriend stating she couldn’t find him because “supposedly the Saturday she let him out of the car to walk home.”

Gordon said that Thibeaux’s girlfriend told the family Thibeaux and his girlfriend’s daughter got into a verbal altercation, and the girlfriend dropped him off the side of LA 96 and had him walk home.

The family found out later that Thibeaux died in a hit-and-run crash. 

“Like y’all took somebody from us that was precious to us, and it’s like y’all have no care in the world of what happened,” she said. 

James Celestine, the driver, turned himself in to the St. Martinville Police after admitting to striking something in the roadway while driving a 2014 Nissan Maxima. Celestine was arrested on a hit-and-run charge, careless operation, and driving under suspension.

“We just didn’t understand why he wasn’t charged with vehicular homicide,” said Gordon.

“We as a family believe we’re not getting the answers we need from his girlfriend, who dropped him off at the place. She hasn’t reached out to talk to us,” she said. “The guy who hit my uncle never reached out to talk to us or give us some condolences.” 

Gordon also said that the family found out Celestine is related to Thibeaux’s girlfriend and believes Thibeaux’s case should be investigated more.

“We believe it’s more than just a hit-and-run,” she said. “He only was charged with a hit-and-run. So he was not charged with the homicide, and today he’s walking free going to the club doing whatever he wants to do.”

News 10 reached out to the District Attorney’s office for answers but never received a response. The family is having a balloon release event for Thibeaux Sun. at noon at Broussard Sports Complex.