Tagged: murder

New Orleans police accuse a 53-year-old woman and her daughter of plotting to burn a 57-year-old woman to death.

Police say they arrested Alice Wright last week on a charge of second-degree murder, and have a warrant to arrest 23-year-old Tytesha Wright once she is out of a burn unit in Baton Rouge.

They're accused in the death of Cynthia Houston, who died in her home Aug. 3 from fourth-degree burns and smoke inhalation.

Police say Tytesha Wright helped care for Houston, who had medical problems.

Officials at the Lafayette Parish Coroner's office say the body believed to be Mickey Shunick is in such an advanced stage of decay they had to send it to face identification expert at Louisiana State University.

Keith Talamo, chief medicolegal investigator at the coroner's office, said Wednesday Mary Manhein at the LSU FACES Laboratory will be handling the investigation of the body. Police found it buried at a cemetery about 100 yards off of La. Highway 10.

Talamo said it will be 24-48 hours before they will be able to identify the remains.

New Orleans police say recently received DNA evidence links a rape in 2000 and a sexual assault and killing in 1992.

They got a description last week from the woman who was raped in 2000. A police artist used it for a computer-created composite, then sketched what the man may look like now. Police released the two drawings in hope that people can help them identify the man.

The killing was that of 20-year-old Jennifer Altemeier, who was strangled on March 3 — Mardi Gras — 1992.

Count documents show doctors believe a Thibodaux man accused of decapitating his disabled 7-year-old son nearly a year ago is competent to stand trial.

The Courier reports doctors have been treating Jeremiah Wright at the Feliciana Forensic Facility in Jackson for the past nine months.

Wright is accused of the Aug. 14 first-degree murder of Jori Lirette, who had cerebral palsy. Jori used a wheelchair and had to be fed through a tube.

A competency hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21.

Attorneys for Angola 5 defendant David Mathis have persuaded a judge to allow them to use a jailhouse confession they say would show jurors their client had no intent to kill a prison security officer in 1999.

Mathis faces a first-degree murder trial in the stabbing and beating death of Capt. David C. Knapps.

The Advocate reports jury selection is set to begin Sept. 24 in Covington, where juries were chosen last year for three of Mathis' codefendants. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

An update on our post from Wednesday headlined "Heir To Billions May Have Lived With Wife's Body For Days In Britain":

Today in a London court, the BBC says, a police detective testified that Hans Kristian Rausing "has been arrested on suspicion of [Eva Rausing's] murder."

Officials say a grand jury next week will consider the case involving the man accused of kidnapping and murdering college student Mickey Shunick.

Lafayette Parish District Attorney Mike Harson told the Associated Press Tuesday that Brandon Scott Lavergne's case will be considered by a grand jury July 18.

Lavergne was arrested Thursday and is being held without bail at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.