Kelly Lavar Stephens, 33, of Valley, Ala., was one of five suspects indicted in March 2010 on murder and kidnapping charges in the incident that led to the death of Dwayne Louder, 26, of Greenville, who was kidnapped and shot eight times.
Stephens was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on the kidnapping charge. Other charges of malice and felony murder, and possession of contraband by an inmate were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
According to previous court testimony, the Jan. 2, 2010, incident began when the victim drove to Simmons Street and met the suspects to sell them drugs, but they pulled a gun and kidnapped him. The assailants allegedly drove Louder’s car and theirs to Louder’s residence on Hillhaven Road in Greenville, where his girlfriend and daughter were. They took the woman and daughter to a bedroom where their hands and feet were “hog-tied” together with extension cords while a 42-inch TV, cash and drugs were stolen from the residence.
Louder’s hands were tied behind his back and he was taken with the assailants when they left the residence. The mother and daughter were left at the home and eventually able to free themselves and run to her sister’s residence.
Louder’s bullet-riddled body was found in the back seat of his Chrysler 300 the next morning on Smokey Road near Knott Road. Stephens turned himself in to police Jan. 12, 2010.
The other suspects – Sade Catori Davidson, 24, of Shoemaker Road; Toray Dontez Porter, 23, of LaGrange; Arthur Demartino Barrett, 22, of West Point; and Daniel Lee Allen, 31, who has lived in Troup County – are expected to be tried in April.
Matthew Strother can be reached at mstrother@lagrangenews.com or 706-884-7311, ext. 229.
Post a Comment
