The quiet streets of Thibodaux are heavy with a kind of sadness that’s hard to put into words. For nearly a week, this community held its collective breath, hoping for a miracle that simply didn’t come. On Saturday morning, December 20, 2025, that lingering hope was cut short when the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the search for 25-year-old Tavares Coleman Jr. had ended in the most painful way possible.
It all started back on a Sunday afternoon, December 14. Tavares walked out of his home on Line Street and just… vanished. What made everyone’s heart sink right away was what he left behind. He didn’t take his phone, his wallet, or even his car. To his family and friends, that wasn’t just unusual; it was a flashing red light that something was terribly wrong.
For the next few days, the people of Thibodaux did what small towns do best. They rallied. Neighbors shared flyers on social media, search parties combed through local neighborhoods, and folks kept a constant eye out for a young man standing about 5’11” with a lean build. He was last seen wearing a brown shirt with the word “Misunderstood” printed on it—a detail that feels especially poignant now as his family grapples with the “whys” of his disappearance.
Sheriff Craig Webre delivered the news that no one wanted to hear.
During a coordinated search, investigators found Tavares’ body in a pond located very close to his own residence. It’s the kind of discovery that makes you realize how close help can be, even when it feels worlds away. The recovery effort was a massive team project, involving the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department and specialized underwater recovery teams.
Right now, the detectives say they haven’t found any signs of foul play. That might offer a small bit of clarity, but it doesn’t make the loss any easier to swallow. The Sheriff’s Office is keeping the case open as they wait for more answers, looking into every detail of those final hours to figure out exactly how a young man with so much life ahead of him ended up in that water.
Tavares wasn’t just a name on a missing person’s poster. To those who grew up with him, he was a son, a loyal friend, and a constant presence in the community. At 25, he was at that age where life is supposed to be opening up, full of potential and plans for the future. Seeing that future cut short has left a void on Line Street that’s going to be felt for a long time.
As the investigation moves forward, the community is shifting its energy from searching to supporting. There’s a lot of love being poured out for the Coleman family right now, and the authorities are still asking anyone who might know something—no matter how small it seems—to reach out. Sometimes the smallest piece of information is the one that finally helps a family find a little bit of peace.
The post Search for Tavares Coleman Jr. Ends in Tragedy After Body Found in Pond appeared first on Tripplenews.
