Guidry Suspended from Law Enforcement While Working at Shannon County Sheriff’s Dept.

Israel Guidry is a former Mountain View Police Department Officer who is currently facing felony manslaughter and armed criminal action charges in Howell County courts. The charges stem from a September 2019 incident in which, after a short vehicle pursuit, Guidry fired at a Cotter, Ark. woman, Angela Perkins, killing her. He was charged with these crimes in June 2020.

Despite the active criminal case against him, Guidry resumed his career in law enforcement in neighboring Shannon County. An employee at the Shannon County Clerk’s office confirmed to Howell County News on September 25 that Guidry was on the payroll for the Sheriff’s Department, and Guidry was listed on a Peace Officers, Selection, Training and Discipline (POST) database as being commissioned to the Sheriff’s Office as of the same date.

However, the Missouri State Attorney General, Eric Schmitt, filed a disciplinary complaint against Guidry on September 24, which reads, “On or about September 20, 2019, [Guidry] committed the criminal offenses of voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action when he caused the death of Angela L. Perkins by shooting her.” Guidry is scheduled to appear before the Administrative Hearings Commission on February 19.

In an email dated September 25, Mike O’Connell, Communications Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety told Howell County News, “Israel Peter Guidry has a suspended [POST] license...he cannot be commissioned by any Missouri law enforcement agency.”

Because the complaint was filed only one day before the inquiries about Guidry’s employment status above, it is a reasonable assumption that local records did not reflect the change immediately. Nevertheless, O’Connell said in a phone interview on September 27, “It is our practice to notify the affected individual and the commissioning agency when there is a suspension.”

Despite repeated calls and a follow-up email, the Sheriff’s Office has made no response as of press time. It is unclear at this time what Guidry’s role was or continues to be in the department or whether he is interacting with the public in any capacity.