On Christmas Eve of 2020, in the town of Bastrop, Louisiana, the life of 59-year-old Lenora Lawhon, a Caucasian female, was brought to a tragic and violent end. What began as a verbal altercation with her husband, Tod Lawhon, a former dentist, escalated to a fatal conclusion within the walls of their home. Around 6:00 PM that evening, Tod Lawhon himself placed a call to 911, informing the dispatcher that he had just shot his wife.
When deputies arrived at the residence, they were met by
Tod Lawhon, who exited the house with his hands raised. He calmly informed the officers that his wife was deceased in the bathroom and that the firearm used was located on the bed. Inside, authorities discovered Lenora Lawhon unresponsive on the bathroom floor, having sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. A 9mm Colt handgun was found on the bedroom bed, just a short distance from the bathroom. Paramedics were unable to revive Lenora.
Tod Lawhon was taken into custody and, after being read his Miranda rights, reportedly expressed a sense of remorse for his actions, mentioning that he had attempted to 'fix this' earlier in the day. He then requested an attorney and ceased further communication with the authorities. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder in connection with his wife's death.
Entering a plea of not guilty, Tod Lawhon's case proceeded to trial at the Morehouse Parish Courthouse. On April 27, 2023, a jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Several months later, on September 14, 2023, Tod Lawhon was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison for the killing of his wife, Lenora. The victim's family later expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the district attorney's office in bringing the case to a close.
