Montegut murder victim tells hired shooter she was the target to save rape victim’s life, Sheriff says

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February 1, 2021
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Less than 1,000 new cases reported in Monday’s totals
February 1, 2021
LSA Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted for 2021
February 1, 2021

Brittany Cormier, one of the victims in the Montegut double murder on Jan. 13, told the suspected gun-for-hire she was his target to save the life of a rape victim, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Tim Soignet said during a press conference Monday morning. A convicted sex offender hired the shooter to suppress the testimony of his victim in an upcoming trial, according to authorities. 

 

The murder-for-hire plot can be traced back to the March 2020 arrest of 35-year-old Beaux Cormier in Vermillion Parish for third-degree rape of his niece, according to authorities. 


 

Beaux Cormier, a convicted sex offender, hired 25-year-old Andrew Eskine of Carencro and 22-year-old Dalvin Wilson of Rayne to murder the rape victim so she wouldn’t testify in the upcoming court case against him, Soignet said. It was learned through investigation that Eskine and Wilson traveled to Montegut in November 2020 to carry out the murder but were unsuccessful, according to authorities.  

 

At the time of the double homicide on Jan. 13, Eskine was out of town, but he facilitated the vehicle and plan to carry out the murders, police say. Wilson used Eskine’s truck for the incident, Soignet said. 

 

Soignet said that 34-year-old Brittany Cormier of Montegut was murdered as a result of telling the shooter she was the target, likely saving the life of the actual rape victim. She accepted “her fate to save the life of [the rape] victim,” the sheriff said. 


Brittany Cormier is Beaux Cormier’s sister. 

 

The second victim, 37-year-old Hope Nettleton, who was visiting Brittany Cormier, attempted to fight the gunman, which resulted in her being fatally shot, according to authorities.  

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of all three suspects last Friday. Eskine and Wilson confessed to their involvement after being arrested, Soignet said.


 

Eskine, Wilson and Beaux Cormier were arrested for two counts of first-degree murder, each held on a $2 million bond. 

 

Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz said his office “has a very strong case” and is considering filing a motion to increase the bonds. After meeting with the families of the victims, officials will decide whether or not to seek the death penalty, he said.

Soignet said a team of Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime detectives traveled to Lafayette Parish and began working with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office to successfully close this case. The team of detectives remained in the Lafayette area for several days working on the investigation, according to authorities. 


Soignet thanked Sheriff Mark Grabert with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Mike Couvillon with the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff K.P. Gibson with the Acadia Parish

Sheriff’s Office, Eunice Police Department and the Eunice City Marshal’s Office for their assistance in the investigation and apprehension of the suspects.