Louisiana Man Convicted Of Killing Woman, Hiding Body In SUV For Month

(KHLA - Lake Charles, Louisiana) - This week Christopher Cater has been on trial for the murder of 72-year-old Sheila Ortega. That trial has concluded, and we now have a verdict.

We reported earlier this week that Cater was accused of killing Ortega and driving around with her body in the passenger seat of her SUV for a month.

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According to the American Press, in order to cover up the stench of decomposition, he used baking soda, 15 bottles of Axe body spray, spray bleach cleanser, and 11 cans of air freshener. Additionally, he had throwaway face masks hanging from the car's turning signal lever.

Also, they're reporting that it only took a jury a little over an hour to come back with a unanimous decision.

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He was living with Ms. Ortega at the time of the alleged incident. Cater said in a video showed to the jury from when he was being interrogated by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, that Ortega had reached over while he was driving and touched his private parts. He stated that he "lost it" and when he woke up the next morning, he only remembered flashes of what happened and then he saw blood on his forearm.

However, Calcasieu Parish First Assistant District Attorney Jacob Johnson told jurors that within 30 minutes of her death he was Googling phrases like “best ways to get rid of a body”, “does bleach kill DNA”, “does insanity defense work in murder cases”, and “does the state of Louisiana have the death penalty”

Johnson went on to say that a month leading up to the murder, Cater had maxed out all of Ortega's credit cards.

He read a text message to the court between Ortega and Cater:

I will never trust another human being again. I have laid down my life financially for you.

 

Johnson said after Cater killed Ortega that he "continued to bleed her estate dry" and also used her phone to impersonate Ortega and asked her family and friends to send her money.

Cater was convicted with first degree murder, unlawful disposal of remains, and identity theft.

For more in depth coverage of this story, click here.