XPost: neworleans.general, alt.abortion, sac.politics
XPost: alt.war.civil.usa
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/theadvocate.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b4/bb4fe37e-fd64-11e8-b156-abdc72514157/5c0feab561407.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427
Daniel Meridy
An Orleans Parish grand jury handed up indictments against three men who are facing life in prison if convicted on Thursday, including a man accused of abducting and raping a series of women at gun or knifepoint.
The lengthiest indictment was for Daniel Meridy, a 35-year-old man who authorities say has been linked by DNA evidence to five sexual assaults in New Orleans from 2015 to 2018 and another three assaults in Kansas City from 2004 to 2005.
Meridy was arrested in December after a joint investigation by the District Attorney’s Office and Police Department.
DNA linked the same unknown assailant to four rapes in September -- but Meridy’s DNA was not yet on file, authorities said. Prosecutors said NOPD Detective Kevin Richardson linked to Meridy to the DNA profile through a license plate one victim reported
to police.
Authorities allege that he raped the women after using weapons to force them to secluded locations across the city.
Meridy’s total bail now stands at $7.5 million on five counts of aggravated or first-degree rape and five counts of aggravated kidnapping. Authorities in Missouri have not yet charged him, prosecutors said.
Separately on Thursday, the grand jury charged Tyrone Fountain, 40, with second-degree murder in the Dec. 17 beating of talent agent Marla Belin in the 7th Ward. Prosecutors said Fountain became enraged after Belin refused his sexual advances. She died
in the hospital 11 days after the attack after slipping into a coma.
Meanwhile, 40-year-old Erik Beasley was charged with aggravated arson and first-degree murder in the smoke inhalation death of his mother Sarah Beasley, 78.
Investigators suspect that Beasley set fire to his family’s home in the 4700 block of Corinne Street on Nov. 23.
Beasley is currently receiving treatment at the psychiatric unit of the state Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said they do not intend to seek the death penalty against him.
https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/courts/alleged-serial-rapist-charged-in-new-orleans-along-with-two-men-accused-of-murder/article_dff6184e-4c22-11e9-8d53-036a0396bce8.html
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