Monday, September 21, 2009

Thibodaux, LA: Thibodaux man receives life sentence for girlfriend's murder

Published: Monday, September 21, 2009 at 6:46 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 21, 2009 at 6:46 p.m.
THIBODAUX -- A 36-year-old Thibodaux man will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty today to the 2008 murder of his girlfriend.

The second-degree murder trial of Christopher Johnson was set to begin Tuesday in Judge Jerome Barbera's court.

However, Johnson decided to change his plea from not guilty to guilty today, Lafourche District Attorney Cam Morvant II said.

Johnson beat his girlfriend, 23-year-old Tameka Carter, to death in the area of Thompson Road and Ridgefield Road on Feb. 8, 2008, prosecutors said.

The couple dated two years before Carter's death, police said. Johnson was charged with domestic abuse battery against Carter on Oct. 4, 2007, just four months before her death.

There was no plea agreement brought up prior to Johnson's decision, Morvant said. Under state law, second-degree murder carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison.

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