Murder prosecution continues in LaPlace overdose death
Published 12:10 am Wednesday, July 26, 2017
- The murder trial of a suspected drug dealer is scheduled next month, according to the St. John the Baptist Parish District Attorney’s Office, nearly a year after a St. James Parish woman was found dead in a LaPlace motel room.
LAPLACE — The murder trial of a suspected drug dealer is scheduled next month, according to the St. John the Baptist Parish District Attorney’s Office, nearly a year after a St. James Parish woman was found dead in a LaPlace motel room.
D.A. Bridget A. Dinvaut said a grand jury indicted Curtis Keating for second degree murder by unlawful distributing or dispensing of a controlled dangerous substance resulting in a direct cause of death. Keating also faces possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine prosecutions.
Curtis Keating
“The case was set for trial next week; however, because the defendants requested an additional status date in August and the trial date be vacated to give them additional time to file motions, the case is now set for trial on Aug. 24, 2017,” Dinvaut said.
Also facing charges is Kurt Roussel, who was indicted for possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine. Dinvaut said a second degree murder prosecution against Roussel is not being pursued after the grand jury failed to indict.
Kurt Roussel
“The attorney for Mr. Keating indicated he would be filing a motion to suppress evidence as well as additional motions,” Dinvaut said. “To date, the state has not received one motion.”
St. John Sheriff’s deputies responded at 4:32 a.m. Aug. 27, 2016, to a motel room in the 900 block of East Airline Highway in LaPlace.
The complainant, Roussel, told deputies Katie Kinler was on the floor and unresponsive. The St. John Coroner’s Office pronounced Kinler dead on the scene.
Kinler was identified as a 24-year-old who had a relationship with Roussel. Detectives determined Kinler and Roussel used heroin during their motel stay.
Police said Roussel told deputies he drove to Keating’s residence in Reserve to obtain heroin.
“There is a law that is in the statute that allows us to affect that arrest if we can show you provided narcotics to an individual and that resulted in their death,” St. John Sheriff Mike Tregre said in August. “You can be legally charged with murder.”
According to Tregre, Keating admitted to authorities he sold drugs to Roussel.
