TWO DEFENDANTS, TWO LIFE SENTENCES
Jointly Convicted Defendants Sentenced to Life in Prison
A sentencing hearing was held on Monday, October 20th, following St. Landry
Parish District Attorney’s conviction of Jaden Ardoin (21) of Krotz Springs and Jaimon
Mason (23). On June 30, 2025, a unanimous jury found both Ardoin and Mason guilty of
one count of First-Degree Murder and one count of Attempted First-Degree Murder. Prior
to handing down the sentence, the Court heard from the family of the deceased victim,
Wade Vaughn-Smith (20).
Also, in the vehicle that was ambushed from behind with gunfire was Vaughn-
Smith’s brother, James Vaughn (22). The murder occurred along Hwy 105 between Krotz
Springs and Melville in February of 2022 when the vehicle driven by Vaughn-Smith was
struck from behind by several gunshots causing the truck to veer off the highway and
crash into a nearby tree.
Today, Ardoin and Mason were each sentenced to life in prison at hard labor
without probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the murder of Wade Vaughn-
Smith, as well as thirty (30) years in prison for the attempted murder of James Vaughn,
with the sentences to be served concurrently.
By: __________________________
Chad Pitre, St. Landry Parish District Attorney
