azathoth777
09-30-2006, 02:18 PM
A burn victim fighting for her life Thursday in a Baton Rouge hospital was set on fire with gasoline twice early Wednesday by two Napoleonville brothers, Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack said.
Aquendius Landry, 28, 33551 La. 1, and Larmatina Landry, 24, 115 Gold St., were arrested Wednesday in connection with the attack on the 25-year-old Belle Rose woman.
The brothers remained in the Assumption Parish Jail on Thursday afternoon under $350,000 bonds. Both face prosecution on one count each of attempted first-degree murder, Waguespack said.
The Landrys are accused of pouring gasoline on Aquendius Landry’s estranged girlfriend and setting her afire two times on a lonely stretch of Hard Times Road in Napoleonville, Waguespack said.
Waguespack said the brothers doused the victim with gas and set fire to her. The victim then rolled on the ground and put the fire out. Then, the brothers poured gasoline on the woman a second time and set her afire again, the sheriff said.
The victim suffered severe burns on more than 60 percent of her body, Waguespack said.
The Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into the case after receiving information about the victim’s condition from authorities at Assumption Community Hospital, where the woman was taken following the attack, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said the victim was under treatment Thursday in a Baton Rouge hospital. She was transferred from Assumption Community Hospital.
Waguespack said the victim remained in critical condition. The burns stretch from her scalp to the top of her thighs, Waguespack said.
Waguespack said that Aquendius Landry had been arrested seven times since 1999, with all seven of the arrests in connection with domestic violence incidents involving his girlfriend — the victim of Wednesday’s flaming gasoline attacks.
Landry and the victim have two daughters together, ages 3 and 5, the sheriff said.
Waguespack said Aquendius Landry never spent significant time in jail following the seven arrests even though some of the domestic violence cases involving the victim ended with convictions.
For example, Aquendius Landry was convicted in 2004 on charges of simple battery and domestic abuse battery. Waguespack said that as a result of those convictions, Aquendius Landry would have spent 30 days in jail or paid a fine.
Aquendius Landry was convicted of simple battery and domestic abuse battery again in 2005, Waguespack said.
None of Aquendius Landry’s domestic violence arrests led to a felony conviction, Waguespack said.
“It’s a classic domestic violence case where he must have found some way to convince her of not moving forward with the charges,” Waguespack said of one incident involving the victim and Aquendius Landry.
District Attorney Tony Falterman of the 23rd Judicial District — with jurisdiction in Assumption, Ascension and St. James parishes — said the victim called his office every day for two weeks to make sure prosecutors would not try her boyfriend.
“These guys will sweet-talk someone and say, ‘Baby, it’s not going to happen again.’ What this man did is horrible. I don’t know how one human can do it to another,” Falterman said.
Martha Forbes, the executive director of Baton Rouge’s Battered Women’s Program, said Thursday that as heinous as the crime against Landry’s girlfriend is, it’s something she has seen before.
“Three to four women are killed every day in this country as a result of domestic violence,” Forbes said.
Forbes said she has seen too much of it locally, including a case last Friday involving a man who reportedly stabbed his ex-wife and baby on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge.
“I am scratching my head trying to figure out how to stop it (the domestic violence),” Forbes said.
“This could very well turn into a homicide,” Waguespack said shortly after the brothers’ arrests on Wednesday. “And we will change the charges accordingly if that happens. We are taking this investigation very seriously.”
Aquendius Landry, 28, 33551 La. 1, and Larmatina Landry, 24, 115 Gold St., were arrested Wednesday in connection with the attack on the 25-year-old Belle Rose woman.
The brothers remained in the Assumption Parish Jail on Thursday afternoon under $350,000 bonds. Both face prosecution on one count each of attempted first-degree murder, Waguespack said.
The Landrys are accused of pouring gasoline on Aquendius Landry’s estranged girlfriend and setting her afire two times on a lonely stretch of Hard Times Road in Napoleonville, Waguespack said.
Waguespack said the brothers doused the victim with gas and set fire to her. The victim then rolled on the ground and put the fire out. Then, the brothers poured gasoline on the woman a second time and set her afire again, the sheriff said.
The victim suffered severe burns on more than 60 percent of her body, Waguespack said.
The Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into the case after receiving information about the victim’s condition from authorities at Assumption Community Hospital, where the woman was taken following the attack, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said the victim was under treatment Thursday in a Baton Rouge hospital. She was transferred from Assumption Community Hospital.
Waguespack said the victim remained in critical condition. The burns stretch from her scalp to the top of her thighs, Waguespack said.
Waguespack said that Aquendius Landry had been arrested seven times since 1999, with all seven of the arrests in connection with domestic violence incidents involving his girlfriend — the victim of Wednesday’s flaming gasoline attacks.
Landry and the victim have two daughters together, ages 3 and 5, the sheriff said.
Waguespack said Aquendius Landry never spent significant time in jail following the seven arrests even though some of the domestic violence cases involving the victim ended with convictions.
For example, Aquendius Landry was convicted in 2004 on charges of simple battery and domestic abuse battery. Waguespack said that as a result of those convictions, Aquendius Landry would have spent 30 days in jail or paid a fine.
Aquendius Landry was convicted of simple battery and domestic abuse battery again in 2005, Waguespack said.
None of Aquendius Landry’s domestic violence arrests led to a felony conviction, Waguespack said.
“It’s a classic domestic violence case where he must have found some way to convince her of not moving forward with the charges,” Waguespack said of one incident involving the victim and Aquendius Landry.
District Attorney Tony Falterman of the 23rd Judicial District — with jurisdiction in Assumption, Ascension and St. James parishes — said the victim called his office every day for two weeks to make sure prosecutors would not try her boyfriend.
“These guys will sweet-talk someone and say, ‘Baby, it’s not going to happen again.’ What this man did is horrible. I don’t know how one human can do it to another,” Falterman said.
Martha Forbes, the executive director of Baton Rouge’s Battered Women’s Program, said Thursday that as heinous as the crime against Landry’s girlfriend is, it’s something she has seen before.
“Three to four women are killed every day in this country as a result of domestic violence,” Forbes said.
Forbes said she has seen too much of it locally, including a case last Friday involving a man who reportedly stabbed his ex-wife and baby on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge.
“I am scratching my head trying to figure out how to stop it (the domestic violence),” Forbes said.
“This could very well turn into a homicide,” Waguespack said shortly after the brothers’ arrests on Wednesday. “And we will change the charges accordingly if that happens. We are taking this investigation very seriously.”