Elderly Shreveport Man Found Guilty of Domestic Strangulation

An elderly Shreveport man faces years in prison after a Caddo Parish jury determined Friday, November 8, 2024, that he had strangled and beaten his wife last year.

The seven-man, five-woman jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway's court deliberated just under two hours before returning its unanimous guilty-as-charged verdicts against John Lafleur, 79, on charges of domestic abuse strangulation, and responsively guilty of attempted cruelty to the infirm and simple battery.

The jury was presented with evidence and witness testimony that on September, 20, 2023, the victim's daughter-in-law arrived at the couple's home in the 8600 block Shelton Avenue to take her grocery shopping and was shocked to see the victim had horrendous bruising on her face, neck, chest, arms and legs. Employees at their shopping destination, a local Wal-Mart, also were taken aback at the condition of the victim and encouraged her to report her injuries to the police. The victim recounted how Lafleur had savagely beaten her one week prior and had refused to allow her to call police or leave the home. The victim testified Lafleur threatened to kill her if she reported the abuse. The jury heard three witnesses and viewed photographs of the victim’s injuries before deliberating.

When Lafleur returns to Judge Hathaway's court December 17, 2024, he faces up to three years in prison for domestic abuse strangulation, up to five years for attempted cruelty to the infirm, both at hard labor, and six months in the parish jail for simple battery.

Prosecutors were Assistant District Attorneys Ashlyn Thomas and Jason Waltman. Lafleur was defended by Evan McMichael and Katherine Ferguson.

The case was docket No. 39783.