A grand jury convicted a Kaplan man of murder after he hired men to kill and silence the testimony his niece who accused him of rape.
Last Friday, Beaux Andrew Cormier, of Kaplan, was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, according to Terrebonne Parish court records.
The case involved Cormier hiring Andrew Eskine, of Carencro, and Dalvin Wilson, of Rayne, to kill his own niece — who accused him of rape in 2019 — to prevent her from testifying in court.
Instead, the two men shot and killed Brittany Cormier, the victim's mother, and a neighbor, Hope Nettleton, who both tried to stop the January 2021 incident. Wilson told the jury he was paid $4,000 up front for the execution and would receive $6,000 after the act, according to Houma Today.
Cormier was never found guilty in the 2019 rape case but he now faces two life sentences for murder and up to an additional 50 years for attempted murder.
In September 2023, a jury found Wilson guilty of one count of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Eskine entered a plea agreement and faces a single manslaughter charge.
Dennis Elfret, a Terrebonne Parish Assistant District Attorney, said the convictions will allow for closure for the victim's families. "It has been a long road," Elfret said, "It's been four years since the incident took place. And I will tell you that I believe the families of the victims, although sad because they miss their loved ones, I do think they get a sense of closure out of this."
A post-trail to determine a sentencing date is scheduled for May 21 at 9 a.m.
