NATCHITOCHES PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Natchitoches woman is behind bars, charged with an elaborate plot to kill her husband in a hunting accident.

Angelique (Angel) LaCaze, 54, was taken into custody late Tuesday evening after Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s deputies received reports she was shopping in a Natchitoches store.

LaCaze is charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder of her husband, 53-year-old Mickey LaCaze.

The arrest of Angel LaCaze was the culmination of a two-week investigation by NPSO detectives that began on Christmas Eve, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Just before 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2019, NPSO deputies responded to reports of a shooting on Louisiana Highway 480 near Bubba Ridley Road, north of Campti.

Six minutes after receiving the call, deputies found Angelique LaCaze suffering from a gunshot wound to the hip area. Her husband, Mickey LaCaze was standing over her, rendering first aid, while telling deputies she tried to kill him.

Natchitoches Parish Regional Medical Center EMS, Life Air and detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division responded to the scene.

Angelique LaCaze was airlifted from the scene to Ochsner LSU Health Medical Center for treatment of the gunshot wound in critical but stable condition.

With the assistance of NPSO patrol deputies, detectives collected physical evidence,  photographed and processed the crime scene and completed an offense report.

As the investigation progressed, detectives learned that Mickey LaCaze went to his hunting lease off of Highway 480 on the afternoon of Dec. 24.

While LaCaze attempted to retrieve his all-terrain vehicle, a woman police have identified as Angelique LaCaze left the woods and began firing a semi-automatic handgun at him while he was sitting on the ATV.

LaCaze exited the ATV and ran toward his vehicle, while his wife allegedly continued to fire the handgun at him. LaCaze said he was able to arm himself with a handgun and continued to run toward Highway 480, as his wife fired at him again.

Allegedly, LaCaze yelled at her to drop the gun, which, he said, she failed to do, so he fired one round striking her in the hip area.

The investigation continued during Angelique LaCaze’s treatment at Oschner LSU Health in Shreveport and later was transferred to a Baton Rouge facility to undergo further treatment.

Through the course of the investigation, NPSO detectives obtained what they believed to be sufficient evidence and probable cause to suspect Angelique LaCaze attempted to murder her husband.

They presented that evidence to a 10^th Judicial District judge, who signed a criminal warrant charging her with attempted second-degree murder.

But on Tuesday, NPSO detectives learned LaCaze had checked out of the facility, and that evening, learned of her late-night shopping excursion in Natchitoches.

Deputies took Angelique LaCaze into custody without incident and she was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center, where she now awaits a bond hearing.

Detectives say the LaCaze’s were separated at the time of the shooting.

Detective Darrell Winder was assisted in the investigation by the NPSO Patrol Division, along with detectives with the NPSO CID division and the Natchitoches Parish District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Winder at 318-357-7830.