Elderly woman's throat slashed by illegal immigrant neighbor
Posted on Monday, December 21 @ 14:17:24 EST
Topic: Crimes Scenes illegal immigration laws
|
Slidell police arrested an illegal Mexican immigrant Wednesday night on
charges of attempted first-degree homicide and armed robbery after he
allegedly slashed the throat of an 84-year-old woman during a robbery
in her home.
The woman, who was not identified by police, survived the attack,
and according to Police Chief Freddy Drennan, is, “doing very well,” at
a local hospital after emergency surgery Wednesday night.
Topics: illegal immigration, illegal immigrant, illegal alien, attempted murder, violence, crime, Mexico, foreign national, Louisiana, LA
December 18, 2009
By Erik Sanzenbach
St. Tammany News
Drennan said police officers responded to a
medical call in the 3100 block of College St., around 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday where it was reported someone had their throat cut.
When police and paramedics got there, they found the woman sitting
on her couch, conscious, bleeding profusely from a slash across her
neck.
“The cut was about 8 inches long,” said Capt. Kevin Swann of the Slidell Police Department.
Despite her life-threatening injury, the woman was able to tell
police that she had been cut by a person who lived across the street
from her. She said the suspect, Ricardo Tenorio-Palma, 20, 3116 College
Street, had come into her home and cut her throat with a 3-inch long
razor blade that is used in industrial scrapers, before he took $65
from her and fled the house.
What makes a tragic incident even worse is that the woman had tried
to help Palma by hiring him to hang her Christmas lights and do odd
jobs around the house. She had even donated some furniture to Palma and
his three roommates who lived across the street.
“It just rips your heart out,” Drennan said, “and makes the crime even more heinous.”
The police were able to get a search warrant for Palma’s house,
where they found bloody clothes, blood on the floor and the razor used
in the attack. However, Palma was not in the house. Police fanned out
across the area, and Detective Daniel Seuzeneau found Palma walking by
the tennis courts on Cleveland Street around 9:30 Wednesday night, and
Palma was arrested without incident.
Swann said the victim and her neighbors gave police a good description of the suspect, and he was easy to spot by the detective.
It turned out Palma did not speak any English and a bilingual
Slidell police officer had to translate for the suspect. Drennan said
that Palma confessed to the attack and robbery. He said he came into
the house through the side door, which is left unlocked so the victim’s
cat can go in and out. Even though, Palma has not said why he slashed
the woman, Drennan said the motive was robbery. He told police that he
wanted money to get something to eat.
Swann said that Palma acted fast.
“He slashed her first, before he robbed her. He intended to kill her,” Swann said.
After Palma left, Drennan said the victim pushed her Emergency
Alert button, which called the security company. They in turn called
the woman’s son-in-law, who tried to call the victim’s house, but got
no answer. So he went over to her house, and after getting in and
finding her, tried to call 911. However, the phone would not work, and
he had to go next door and use a neighbor’s phone to call the police.
The elderly woman is being lauded for being tough and surviving the
attack. Sgt. Sean Mclain, who interviewed the victim, said that the
woman did punch and kick Palma during the attack. She also had a
defensive wound of a cut on her hand, Mclain said.
He was really impressed with the way she reacted to the situation.
“She is a tough lady,” Mclain said. “It was incredible how in her
condition she was able to talk.” He said he interviewed her Thursday
morning, and her attitude was greatly im-proved.
Drennan said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials
confirmed that Palma was an “undocumented alien,” who has been living
in the U.S. for the past nine months. The chief said Palmas and his
roommates were living on College Street for the past three to five
months. Drennan did not know the immigration status of the other three
residents, but did say they all had jobs and were at work at the time
of the robbery.
“He [Palma] acted alone,” Drennan said. He said Palma had been
unemployed for the past several months, which is why he worked for the
victim.
Palma was taken to St. Tammany Jail in Covington, where bond will be set.
DISCUSS THIS REPORT WITH OUR ONLINE ACTIVISTS AT...
|
|
| |
| Article Rating | Average Score: 4.2
Votes: 5
| |
|
Contribute/Join
