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Thread: Matthew Sonnier Sentenced to 3 Consecutive Life Terms in 2017 LA Triple Murder

  1. #11
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Pineville woman accused in triple homicide to be arraigned again next month

    By Melissa Gregory
    Alexandria Town Talk

    Ebony Nicole Sonnier, accused with her brother in a 2017 Rapides Parish triple homicide, will be arraigned on an amended indictment next month.

    It's the second amended indictment against the 34-year-old Sonnier, who faces the death penalty.

    This amended indictment, filed on Aug. 11, charges her with three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2017 deaths of Jeremy Deon "Apple" Norris, 28; Kendrick Dwann "Nerd" Horn, 33; and Latish Renee White, 42.

    The November 2017 indictment also was amended in August 2019, splitting the murder counts from two obstruction of justice counts.

    The state alleges that Sonnier and her brother, Matthew Sonnier, killed Norris and then killed Horn and White because they were witnesses to Norris' death.

    White's body was found early on Oct. 18, 2017, on Melrose Street in Pineville. She had been stabbed multiple times.

    The bodies of Norris and Horn were found later that same morning, wrapped in a pool liner in a ditch on Old Boyce Road outside Alexandria. The bodies were discovered after someone reported a fire in the ditch.

    The obstruction charges allege that Sonnier moved Norris' and Horn's bodies from the place they were killed, cleaned blood from a vehicle and removed firearms from a vehicle and then wrapped the two bodies in the liner and with cables and set them on fire.

    Sonnier will be arraigned on Sept. 16 before 9th Judicial District Court Judge Mary Lauve Doggett.

    Her trial date also was reset during a Tuesday hearing. The new date is Aug. 2, 2021.

    Both the state and defense agreed that jury selection could take five to eight days, while the trial could last three to five days. Potential jurors will be asked to complete a questionnaire on July 29-30, 2021, the Thursday and Friday before jury selection starts.

    https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/ne...de/5602831002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  2. #12
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    Trial of man accused in triple homicide moved to Sept. 13

    By Melissa Gregory
    Alexandria Town Talk

    An Alexandria man accused in the deaths of three people whose bodies were found in two locations in October 2017 has a new trial date.

    Matthew Sonnier, 32, has been indicted on three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2017 deaths of Jeremy Deon Norris, 28; Kendrick Dwann Horn, 33; and Latish Renee White, 42.

    He also faces two counts of obstruction of justice from a separate indictment related to the case. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

    White's body was found lying on Melrose Street in Pineville in the early morning of Oct. 18, 2017. She had been stabbed multiple times and thrown from a car.

    The bodies of Norris and Horn were found hours later after a passing motorist alerted officials about a fire in a ditch on Old Boyce Road outside of Alexandria. Their bodies were found wrapped in a pool liner in the fire.

    The arrests of Sonnier and his sister, 34-year-old Ebony Nicole Sonnier, in connection to the three deaths were announced the next week.

    Ebony Sonnier also has been indicted and faces a separate trial in August on three counts of first-degree murder and being an accessory after the fact. Like her brother, she faces two counts of obstruction of justice in a separate indictment.

    The siblings have been in custody since their arrests.

    On Wednesday, Hazel denied a defense motion to identify an informant police spoke with while investigating the case. He also agreed to receive briefs from the defense and prosecution regarding what past crimes of Sonnier's might be introduced by the state should he be convicted on the murder charges.

    Then, talk turned to setting a new trial date. Sonnier's trial had been set for Feb. 22, but a Louisiana Supreme Court order pushed all jury trials back to at least after March 1 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Hazel said the virus isn't to be taken lightly and spoke about losing a friend, former state Rep. Steve Carter, to it on Tuesday. But he expressed frustration with how it has delayed the resolution of cases for victims and defendants.

    "People need their day in court," he said.

    Sonnier's new trial date is Sept. 13. A status conference will be held on Aug. 9.

    https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/ne...de/4278882001/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  3. #13
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    Death penalty trial for Matthew Sonnier delayed due to Hurricane Ida’s impact

    Third Circuit grants writ filed by capital defense attorneys; new trial date uncertain

    By Brooke Buford
    KALB News

    ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The death penalty trial for Matthew Sonnier, 33 of Pineville, which was set to start in the 9th Judicial District Court in Rapides Parish next week, has been continued due to Hurricane Ida’s impact.

    The decision was made by the Third Circuit Court of Appeal on Friday based off a writ filed by attorneys with the Baton Rouge Capital Conflict Office.

    Considering defense counsel’s inability to adequately prepare for Defendant’s capital murder trial due to the impacts of Hurricane Ida, we find the trial court abused its discretion in denying Defendant’s motion to continue. Accordingly, we grant Defendant’s writ application, reverse the trial court’s denial of Defendant’s motion to continue, and remand the case for further proceedings with this court’s ruling.”

    Third Circuit Court of Appeal


    The Third Circuit stopped short, however, of granting a stay in the case.

    Sonnier is charged with three counts of first degree murder for the Oct. 18, 2017 deaths of Jeremy Norris, 28, Kendrick Horn, 33, and Latish White, 42. He also faces two counts of obstruction of justice from a separate indictment related to the case. If convicted on the murder charges, he faces the death penalty.

    White’s body was found on Melrose Street in Pineville. She had been stabbed multiple times and thrown out from a car. The bodies of Norris and Horn were found several hours later wrapped in a pool liner burning in ditch on Old Boyce Road, just outside of Alexandria.

    Sonnier’s sister, Ebony Sonnier, is also charged in the case.

    Meanwhile, a second writ filed by the defense looking to stop the trial due to COVID-19 was outright denied by the Third Circuit.

    There’s no word yet on when the trial for Sonnier will now take place.

    Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell issued this statement about the Third Circuit’s decision.

    “While the ruling of the higher court must be respected and followed, the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office strongly agrees with Judge (Chris) Hazel that the trial needs to proceed so that justice for the victims’ families can be obtained. The Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office remains committed to securing a new trial date as soon as possible, as the defense has had four years to prepare for trial.”

    Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell


    The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant District Attorneys Hugo Holland and Lea Hall. The case is assigned to Judge Chris Hazel.

    https://www.kalb.com/2021/09/07/deat...e-idas-impact/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  4. #14
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    New death penalty trial date set for Matthew Sonnier for March 2022

    By Brook Buford
    KALB News

    ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - A new death penalty trial date has been set for Matthew Sonnier, 33, of Pineville. Sonnier is charged with three counts of first degree murder for the Oct. 18, 2017 deaths of Jeremy Norris, 28, Kendrick Horn, 33, and Latish White, 42.

    He also faces two counts of obstruction of justice from a separate indictment related to the case.

    If convicted on the murder charges, he faces the death penalty.

    On Wednesday, Rapides Parish Judge Chris Hazel set a new trial date for March 7, 2022. Three weeks have been allotted for the trial. A final status conference will take place on Feb. 25, 2022.

    The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant District Attorneys Hugo Holland and Lea Hall.

    https://www.kalb.com/2021/09/16/new-...er-march-2022/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  5. #15
    Senior Member CnCP Addict maybeacomedian's Avatar
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    Matthew Sonnier gets 3 consecutive life sentences in 2017 deaths

    By Melissa Gregory
    Alexandria Town Talk

    Matthew Sonnier, who was facing the death penalty in his upcoming trial, pleaded guilty on Friday morning in the 2017 deaths of three people whose bodies were found in two locations in Rapides Parish.

    Sonnier pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jeremy Deon Norris, 28; Kendrick Dwann Horn, 33; and Latish Renee White, 42.

    Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Chris Hazel sentenced Sonnier, 33, to three consecutive life sentences at hard labor without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

    The bodies of Norris and Horn were found in a ditch on Old Boyce Road, while White's body was found on Melrose Street in Pineville.

    https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/ne...es/6642225001/
    https://archive.ph/mLpvH

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