Louisiana – A Louisiana man was found guilty earlier this week of first-degree murder, identity theft, and unIawful disposaI of human remains. The charges stemmed from the death of an elderly woman, SheiIa, whose body was discovered in her vehicIe outside a maII in Louisiana, in Aug. 2023. The defendant, 43-year-old C. Cater, had driven around with the 72-year-old woman’s body for approximately thirty days before abandoning the vehicle.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that the defendant had been in a financiaI reIationship with the elderly woman, who had Ient him money and co-signed Ioans. Text messages between the victim and the defendant revealed that she had become concerned about his financiaI behavior, stating she had “literally laid down my life (financially) for you.” Additionally, investigators found that the defendant had used the woman’s credit cards and taken out loans in her name. Search history on his phone included queries such as “When does a dead body stop smelling?” and “How to get rid of a body.”
In his defense, the defendant’s attorney argued that he was struggling with alcohol addiction and had sought help from local resources. The defense suggested that their client’s actions were influenced by his impaired state and that he did not intend to kill the woman. However, the jury found the evidence presented by the prosecution compelling and convicted him on all charges.
The defendant admitted to killing the elderly woman and driving around with her decomposing body in her vehicle while stealing her identity. In an interrogation video shown during the trial, the defendant said that he and the victim had been drinking together the night she died. He claimed that she reached toward his ‘private parts’, causing him to snap and black out. When he regained consciousness, he discovered the victim’s face beaten and his hands and arms covered in blood.
During a traffic stop prior to the discovery of the body, the defendant told a deputy that he had recently taken the victim to stay with friends in Arkansas and planned to pick her up in a few days. The deputy allowed him to leave, but a different deputy later found the parked vehicleand, upon searching it, discovered the victim’s body.
Following the verdict, First Assistant District Attorney Jonson stated that the case was particularly disturbing due to the victim’s kindness and the defendant’s exploitation of her trust. He emphasized the brutality of the crime and the need for justice. The defendant sentencing is scheduled for a later date, where he faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. The case has drawn attention to issues of elder abuse, financial exploitation, and the severe consequences of such crimes.