A Louisiana Man On Trial After Driving With Woman’s Body For A Month

(KHLA - Lake Charles, Louisiana) - A Lake Charles man is on trial for the murder of a 72-year-old woman and allegedly driving around town for a month while carrying her body in the passenger seat.

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.

Christopher Cater is accused of the first-degree murder of Sheila Ortega and stealing her identity by taking out three loans.

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Calcasieu Parish First Assistant District Attorney Jacob Johnson told jurors that Cater broke Ortega's neck and within 45 minutes was Googling how to get rid of the body.

He was living with Ms. Ortega at the time of the alleged incident.

Sheila was reported as a missing person, and when the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office (CPSO) investigator called Cater, he said he dropped her off at a friend's house in Hot Springs, AR and was headed to Houston in her car.

The investigator put Ms. Ortega's vehicle license plate number on a "hot list", and it pinged on plate readers here in Lake Charles. The investigator told Cater on the phone that he was watching him drive down Lake Street.

The SUV belonging to Ortega was found in the parking area of the Prien Lake Mall on August 21, 2023. A Deputy approached the vehicle and could immediately smell the decomposing body inside the SUV.

The trial began yesterday and will continue until there's a verdict handed down.

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