ST. FRANCISVILLE — The new St. Francisville police chief says he will work to rebuild community trust after WBRZ's Investigative Unit uncovered that a former officer was quietly charged with negligent homicide in connection with a woman's 2022 overdose death.

Chief Chris Green took office in December after the previous Chief Randy Metz retired. He said he learned about the negligent homicide charge against Richard Parsons Jr. from the news.

"I did hear there was an investigation, but when I first learned that he was actually formally indicted, charged or whatever, was in the news yesterday," Green said.

Parsons was an officer for the St. Francisville Police Department when 37-year-old Renee Hinze of Texas was found dead in a hotel bathtub in March 2022. West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office initially believed she accidentally drowned.

Toxicology reports showed several different drugs in her system. More than two years later, investigators discovered Hinze had been riding around with Parsons in his patrol car the day before police found her body.

Authorities arrested Parsons in August 2025 and charged him with malfeasance in office. By then, Parsons had left the St. Francisville Police Department.

In fall 2025, investigators got another tip that led them to believe Parsons may have played a part in Hinze's overdose. District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla charged him with negligent homicide.

Parsons' arrest for malfeasance was posted on the jail bookings website. His negligent homicide charge was never publicized.

Green said Parsons worked under different leadership and a different administration. He said transparency is a top priority as chief.

"We're trying to move forward in a direction to where we want community trust here, and we want the people in the community to trust the officers that are currently working here," Green said. "I feel to build that community trust, people need to know our officers and our officers need to know our people."