Louis Mouton III courtesy of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Police in Arizona arrested a man who allegedly shot and killed his estranged wife and infant daughter in their home before telling police that the shooting was part of a deal he made with a spirit.
Louis Mouton III, 34, was taken into custody by officers with the Phoenix Police Department on suspicion of committing first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of 32-year-old Lanae Mouton and their 11-month-old daughter Ava Mouton.
Police responded to call reporting that someone had been shot at a residence located in the 2500 block of North 83rd Avenue at approximately 9 p.m. Monday, Sgt. Vincent Cole of the department’s Public Affairs Bureau said in a press briefing Tuesday.
“A male came to the complex to speak with his estranged wife about their relationship and they had a discussion outside of the residence,” Cole said. “At some point, the female went back inside of the residence and the male kicked in the door and fired several shots. Inside the residence was the female and their 11-month-old child. Both were struck and transported to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased.”
Phoenix-based news station KTVK obtained court documents which state that after Lanae went back inside of her apartment, Louis fired a single shot at the door before kicking it opened. Louis’ mother and sister, who were reportedly inside the apartment when the door was kicked in, reportedly fled the area while Lanae grabbed the infant, ran into her bedroom, and hid in the closet.
Louis then followed Lanae and kicked down the bedroom door,” KTVK reported. “He then walked up to them and shot them multiple times.”
Nancy Montano, one of Lanae’s neighbors, told Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV that she could hear her yelling “Please no, don’t kill me. Please no.”
“The guy was yelling, ‘I’m going to kill everybody here. I’m going to kill everybody,'” she said. “He was knocking doors. Very violent. And I was very worried, very concerned because I was alone with my daughter.”
Sgt. Cole said that when first-responders arrived on the scene Louis Mouton was still inside of the apartment. After he was handcuffed and arrested, Louis reportedly told police that he attempted to take his own life but could not because his gun was out of bullets. He also said that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
“Louis told police he heard and saw spirits and aliens, was frequently possessed by them, and they used his body to do stuff he couldn’t control,” KTVK reported. “Louis then told officers he made a deal with a spirit that he and his wife could be together forever, but they both had to die.”
Mouton reportedly told police that he remembered conversing with Lanae outside of the residence but then “blacked out” and only remembered standing over her dead body holding a gun. He claimed to then have had a second black out and only came to in the parking lot.
KTVK reported that “Louis told police his wife was supposed to die, but his daughter was not,” adding that he “did not agree to his daughter being killed with the deal he made with the spirit.” KNXV reported that Louis Mouton had previously been convicted on charges of domestic violence in California.
Mouton was booked into jail on one count of premeditated first-degree murder, one count of first-degree murder, and one count of first-degree burglary. His bond was set at $2 million.
[image via Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office]
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