ST. FRANCISVILLE — After West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s deputies officially started the search of Thomas Morris’ family property last Friday, a search took place on the property of a Zachary home in connection to the disappearances of two women. Zachary Police has now confirmed, however, that nothing was discovered on the Zachary property.
On Monday, a search began on the property of a home that Thomas Morris formerly lived in in the Zachary area, the Zachary Police Chief told UWK. This is a multi-jurisdictional effort, and Zachary Police is partnering with West Feliciana and other agencies. Today, Sept. 17, police confirmed that nothing was discovered on the property.
“All we’re doing right now is covering all of our bases there,” Zachary Chief Darryl Lawrence told UWK on Monday. “You know, they’re up in West Feliciana checking, and we’re checking the former home of Thomas Morris here. So we’re just doing some probing and seeing if we can find anything here.”
The property grounds and not the house were the subject of the search, Chief Lawrence added.
West Feliciana Sheriff Brian Spillman said on Sept. 10 that Morris is a person of interest in the disappearances of Madison Re’Nea Allen in November 2023 and Stephanie Hevia in August 2025. The Zachary property search has been planned for weeks and is essential to the Morris Road search, Spillman said Monday. Altogether, there has been 673 manhours logged by 14 different agencies assisting with the search on Morris Road, the sheriff added.
The first phase of the search involves mapping the Morris Road property to create a grid system to guide searchers. Investigators are using ground-penetrating equipment and LiDAR — Light Detection and Ranging — to get an idea of what might be underground there. Specially-trained cadaver dogs were also going to be on the site.
The families of both women say that Thomas Morris was with them before the women went missing. After Morris’ arrest in July, Spillman said Morris was considered a person of interest in their disappearances.
The property is around 15 acres and search teams will be using an array of specialized equipment, including an RGB mapping camera and metal detectors and probes.
“We’ll begin by assessing the property, because we haven’t been on the property at this point for any reason,” the sheriff said during a news conference last week.
Madison Allen’s mom Lynn Rollins has been anxiously waiting for this day, having desperately searched for her daughter as soon as she knew she was missing. She said last week’s press conference is “about time.”
“I hope that they find her and that she gets to come home. I know he did something to my child, and she’s out there. They’re gonna bring her home,” Rollins told UWK, as she tried to hold back tears.
It would mean closure for her to get her daughter’s body back, she said. “It would mean the world to me because she’d be able to rest in peace, and we would have some closure and know where she’s at.”
Stephanie Hevia’s mother, Kathy Gilardi Guidry, told UWK that her family is also anxiously awaiting updates.
“Our families’ prayers and questions are being answered. Now we continue to wait. Anxiety is high but we are still believing that our law enforcement will bring Stephanie home to us and the absolute justice deserved,” Guidry said.
Sheriff Spillman is urging anyone who knows anything about the disappearances of these women or the case to come forward.
“The only way that we’re going to solve this case and the only way that we’re going to build a good case to be able to prosecute is that we get assistance from everybody that might have that information. These families deserve that. Justice deserves that, and I would hope that everybody that that might know something, regardless how small, regardless of of if you think it’s important or not. If you know something, you saw something, you heard about something, just give it to us, and we’ll go from there with it.”
Rollins is also pleading for anyone with information to speak out: “I would like to thank everyone that has called in with information and has sent prayers. And if anyone has any more information, I beg for them to call in with that information. You know, now’s the time, and I’m so grateful for this day. I have waited and waited and waited for this day.”
Earlier this summer, deputies arrested 43-year-old Thomas Morris, for allegedly holding a woman against her will. Deputies safely removed the victim, who is from out of the state. Morris was arrested on the evening of July 19.
He was booked into the West Feliciana Detention Center on charges of second-degree kidnapping and false imprisonment. A judge set Morris’ bond at $500,000.
Morris remains in the West Feliciana Detention Center at this time.
If you have any information, contact the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office at (225) 784-3136 or contact the Capital Region Crime Stoppers by calling 225-344-STOP (7867), downloading the P3 Tips App, or visiting www.crimestoppers225.com.
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