Family rescues kidnapped Duson woman, kills captor

[7962]

Source: The Advertiser

The family of a Duson woman kidnapped earlier in the week tracked down and killed her alleged abductor Friday, authorities said.

Police said Bethany Arceneaux, 29, was kidnapped Wednesday by Scott Thomas, the father of her son. But it was family members who were tipped to an abandoned house near Anderson and Fieldspan roads.

Family said they didn’t know what to expect when they showed up to the home early Friday. A half dozen of them converged on the house, kicked down the door and found her inside, bloodied and repeatedly stabbed.

They also found Thomas, 29, of Leonville.

Read more: Link to http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20131108/NEWS01/311080025/Missing-Duson-woman-found-alive-vacant-home-shots-fired?nclick_check=1

[jpak]

1. Vigilante justice - yee haw

[NYC_SKP]

3. Errr, whatever. A lot of damn good the police were doing:

She used the law as best she could and though arrested, the kidnapper kept getting out and stalking her.

Arceneaux filed a complaint with police on June 15, saying Thomas locked her in a house and threatened to kill both her and her son.

“He grabbed our son from me and shoved him into the car,” Arceneaux wrote in the report. “Since then, Scott has been riding around my mom’s house and my work looking for me. I am afraid for me and my son’s life.”

Arceneaux also said in the report Thomas had in the past choked her, dragged her by her hair and held her and her son hostage. “He keeps threatening to kill us. He put a knife to my neck countless times,” she said in the report.

A protective order against Thomas was issued June 17, court records show. Thomas was arrested Aug. 8 for violating the order. He also was charged with aggravated assault and aggravated flight from an officer.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20131109/NEWS01/311090023/Bethany-Arceneaux

[Ranchemp.]

6. No, it's not.

Judice said family members were acting in defense of Arceneaux.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20131108/NEWS01/311080025/Missing-Duson-woman-found-alive-vacant-home-shots-fired?gcheck=1

Maybe you missed this part of the story where the police said this, or maybe you didn't even bother to read the story and just jumped to an erroneous conclusion.

[NYC_SKP]

8. They were part of a larger search party that included LEOs and they heard her screaming. ~PHOTO~

When they followed the sounds into the house, the kidnapper started stabbing her so they did what they had to do.



A happy ending, all things considered.

She won't have to deal with his violence and threats and stalking ever again.

[Ranchemp.]

9. I'm glad they got there in time to save this poor woman,

there is no doubt in my mind that he intended to murder her, else why take her to an abandoned house?
I very much doubt that there will be any charges filed against the family, the only sad thing about his death are his children wondering what happened to their father.

[colorado_ufo]

38. They can recover from that.

They would not have recovered from his killing them. A most unstable individual.

[freshwest]

25. He would have killed her sooner or later. They caught him in the act of killing of her. That's not

vigilante justice, nor an extra-legal execution, or even revenge. It was like self-defense.

Whatever made him think he had the luxury to do what he did to her, doesn't matter at this point. It's over. And now it's time to heal and bury the dead.

There could have been several killed that day. So yeah, a good outcome to a terrible situation, IMO.

Best wishes to all of the survivors and all of the families.

[NYC_SKP]

26. I think you're right. Any survey of similar incidents would indicate a very sad outcome.

This kidnapper was in the midst of his "terminal event".

Predictors of this theory include his violent past and disregard for the restraining order and other legal measures, like arrests and warnings, and a documented history of stalking, all but ignored by the court-police system at her disposal.

Indicators postmortem include the fact that he abandoned his vehicle a considerable distance from where he took her, suggesting that he'd never, ever, need a car again.

This man was determined to die on this day and he was going to take her with him, cause the police to kill him, and if that didn't work maybe he'd kill himself.'

SWAT responses to this particular situation may well have resulted in her death while they negotiated.

I'm disgusted with all that came before this event, but happy with the outcome.

She'll never have to fear this man again.

And neither will any other woman, child, or LEO.

.

[freshwest]

36. Not so fast there. Saying 'ignored by the court-police system' is an error, IMO.

Last edited Sun Nov 10, 2013, 11:15 PM - Edit history (1)

This is a frequent mistake I see at DU. It goes to a lack of being taught how the government is constructed. It would take a lot of heat out of discussions when one looks at them logically, without set prejudices.

An example, just because some people get it and some don't, not saying you, but this anecdote is easy to undertand.

You know how people like to play with cats with dangling toys for them to catch?

Well, most cats I had fell for that one. But one never did so I stopped doing it with her as she made her case that I was insulting her intelliigence or being an ass, rather forcefully with her claws.

I'd dangle the shiny and she'd give it one look. Then leap up and smack my hand. That failing, she scratched it. If I persisted, she'd bite it. She was smart that way. She'd also give a certain look of disdain only cats can give.

You always go for the head and not the hand. The cops, courts and even the executive branch serve at the whim of the legislature and they tell them how to do things. The idea of this came from the leglislature, not the cops or the courts. Berating the hands (cops, courts, agencies) is what the RWNJs do.

I've seen a state AG beg the legislature to stop passing laws that went against federal civil rights laws, because the people expected to have those rights honored. Thus the state was overwelmed with law suits against agencies, because as creatures of the legislature, they had to follow the laws. And in each cases, the AG said, the state always lost after having to fight a case they knew was wrong, but were forced to defend. They didn't write the law, but it was on the books. That's how this works.

Legislatures make the laws that the courts rule upon, that police are authorized to enforce. Force being the operative syllable.

Numerous governments who have been defunded by right wingers, rather than allocate lack the money to try domestic cases and hire investigators, jail the violent, provide funding for survelliance.

And if they followed that man around, people would say it was harrassment. If they had arrested and held him longer to keep her safe, there would calls saying he was punished before he committed a crime. And the lege is the one who says who stays for how long. If they followed him around, it'd be 'Look! Police State!'

When agencies aren't funded, they are not being allowed to have the infrastructure to stop this, by bull headed governors and legislators who don't have the sense go gave a June bug. After all, taxes are evil! Starve the Beast! Free-dumb!

And some states have simply repealed domestic violence laws, taking the off the books. And defunding is the same things, which is why ALEC and the RWNJs scream about taxes. They want people to have to live under them.

'Family values' repukes have said that a woman is wrong to leave her husband even if he is abusive to her and the kids. After all, battered women's shelters, welfare to help her and her kids, protection programs, housing, etc. cost tax money.

The other side of their game is getting RWNJs to spew that it's Gawd's Will. So the women can't hardly win in that environment. But it really is all about not taxing the rich in those states to maintain a civil society.

Different states that still do have laws, differ. I've lived in a couple of states. In one, the woman was expected to chase the courts and the law for help and file the charges. It's well known that when a woman tells an abuser she is leaving, it greatly increase the chance he will kill her to keep control. Few women pressed charges, and it wasn't because the cops didn't want them to. They had no support system to protect them like a family or a shelter. They were on their own in those states.

In other states, domestic violence does not require the woman to do much, as the first sign of abuse, both the combatants and victims are put in the system to figure out what is going on and to stop it happening again.

Those states clearly see the prevention of domestic abuse to not be a private or family matter as those others states do that expect the victim to file charges. They see it as their business, as they know they will have to deal with the fallout later. The measures taken really tick off the 'family values' crowd.

There is also another reason that the RWNJs hate the ACA - it funds these things. There is a lot in the ACA the RWNJs and ALEC (wait, that's redundant) hate and demand be stopped in addition to that.

It's not about just health care. It's about the social changes people have demanded. Like a woman's right to abortion, yeah, they are freaking out.

Did LA sign up fo the ACA expansion?

[NYC_SKP]

37. I think you're right, freshwest. It's not productive to indict the system out of hand.

Since my original post I've had the chance to read up on some of the background in this particular case and it's more than fair to say that every case differs, every community varies, and what is happening here or there doesn't make it so everywhere.

All that said, there are still frightening trends like the push back against the ACA generally and womens' reproductive and self-defense protections specifically.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

[daleo]

35. I would say defence of nessecity

Where the results of not committing an offence are found to be worse than the results of committing an offender, then the defence of Nessecity can be employed.

[7962]

32. Thanks for posting the pic; I tried but couldnt figure it out.

It shows so much compassion at the scene.

[paleotn]

10. Bull S___ !

...the family did what they needed to do as the situation presented itself. Normally, no. You let law enforcement handle it since they're trained for these situations. However, that's not how this situation unfolded. Hats off to the family members for doing what needed to be done. Since this wasn't one of your close relatives, I guess it's just an academic exercise to you...ie. you don't care. Then again, maybe this is a rural, middle America thing, that you will never understand.

[JoeyT]

12. Better than leaving her to die.

People that can't acknowledge reality because it conflicts with their quasi-religious beliefs based around an object being evil. Yee Haw.

Being pro-gun control is a winning stance. Being fanatical to the point of being anti-self defense is not.

[Inspired]

14. What a strange reaction to this story!

Good for them for taking care of that monster.

[awoke_in_2003]

17. That is what happens...

when people don't follow the link to read the whole story.

[geek tragedy]

15. While you mourn the fact that she's alive, the rest of us have a different take nt

[TBF]

19. I do get what you're saying -

and I'm also suspicious of the OP's reasons for posting it.

But I am also glad she's alive. I wouldn't encourage the vigilantism but I also wouldn't press charges against the family. I can imagine the pain they were in when she was missing. I'd classify this as justifiable homicide.

[7962]

33. Charges were not pressed against them; I think the story has been updated with that

And why be suspicious of the posting of a GOOD story? The pictures are worth a thousand words.

[TBF]

39. I think for many of us it's a mix -

1. Absolutely happy family

2. Happy gun story

Soooo, you know. I personally do not mind guns for hunting (although you will not see me buying a gun anytime soon - most I've ever shot was a bb gun when I was a kid) ... but I'd like to see the semi-automatic weapons restricted. It is nice to see a story where there is a happy ending as opposed to the zillions of bad stories, but it doesn't change my position on gun control.

[Ash_F]

29. I too get what you are saying

We should keep in mind that we are reading a story from perspective of the family and it may not have gone the way they said.

But considering the wounds on the woman in the picture, I think the police's conclusion that it was self defense is reasonable. They should(and probably did) interview each person individually to find any inconsistencies in the story.

[obama2terms]

31. I'm not part of the pro-gun crowd but I do believe in self defense when necessary

The guy deserved it! He nearly killed that women, he wasn't some innocent bystander. There was restraining order against him which obviously means the family knew he was a violent person before the kidnapping. And when a person truly wants to hurt someone, a restraining order is just a piece of paper, it means nothing to a crazy person. And this particular situation proves that. Besides after what he did, he'd be dead within a month in prison.

[7962]

34. Too many women have become victims because that piece of paper wasn't enough.

Thank you for pointing that out.
I've known a few of them, too.

[obama2terms]

41. You got that right!

I have a friend who had an abusive husband and on the outside they seemed like the perfect couple, no one suspected he was such a monster. When me and some other friends talked her into leaving after almost a year of begging. Things were getting worse for her, all of the people that knew her could tell this abuse was taking a toll on her, every time we asked her if she would be willing to leave she said she had no money and no place to go. ( Me and another friend even offered to let her stay at one of our homes but she declined because he knows where both of us live).
After that didn't work, me and our group of friends pooled money together to give her to leave. She got a motel room on the other side of town. The freak found out where she was staying so he began sending her threatening phone calls. He came to the motel and started banging on all the doors until he eventually found her and he started roughing her up until a nice bystander ended it.
He even tried to accuse her of having an affair with the guy that broke up the fight! After that the police were called and with that on record she got a restraining order pretty easily ( he couldn't call her or be within I think it was like 500 ft. of her) for the next few months. It still didn't work he would call and call threatening to kill her and some other graphic things. Even though I'm very liberal I told her it would be best if she got an open carry permit, so once the restraining order expired if he tried something crazy he couldn't , because he'd have her hand gun to answer to. I'm not a huge fan of guns but sometimes in situations like this, it's the only thing that works. My friend has since moved from Tennessee all the way to Long Island, and her now ex husband has been in and out of jail for drug charges, assault etc. let's just say I've seen him on the 10 o'clock news a number of times. Her life is going great, and that piece of shit's life is in turmoil. With his record he'll be lucky if he can get a job at Burger King!

[7962]

42. Good for her! And you for helping. A lot of people turn a blind eye.

Its tough on everyone involved.
Years ago I worked with a girl who had an ass she was trying to leave. We worked 3-12 and one night shortly before we got off, she mentioned being worried that he may be waiting outside, but didnt see his car. My friend offered to switch cars with her and she ALMOST let him. Ray was ex-navy, 5-10 250 solid lbs. Ended up her husband had rented a car and was waiting outside the gate. He followed her and tried to run her off the road. All ended well with her though; she divorced him safely and is remarried.
But we always wondered what would have happened if she HAD switched cars that night!!

[obama2terms]

43. Woah what a nut!

I'm glad her life is going so well now . It's sad to think how many of these situations don't have such happy endings.

[NYC_SKP]

2. That's a loving family right there. They weren't going to rest with her missing.

And they managed to save her.

We will never know if the SWAT team would have had the same success.

All we know is that she's safe now and that man will not ever again violate a restraining order or kidnap again.

Sad for the children he leaves behind.

[christx30]

11. A restraining order is useless

against someone that actually wants to do you harm. Jail is good. A coffin is best.

[Mojorabbit]

24. Yes, they are pretty much useless.

I have a couple of friends who went that route and it was a waste of time.

[obama2terms]

30. Exactly

When someone intends to hurt you, a restraining order is just a waste of paper, and if the person is scared off by it some how, they only last so long, it's not permanent.

[LiberalEsto]

21. Not necessarily sad for those children

They might have been abused themselves by the father, or witnessed the abuse he piled on their mother. They whole lives could have been damaged. They may already have experienced damage. Thank heaven they're safe from him now.

[Orrex]

4. How horrible for that woman!

I'm glad that she's safe, but it seems to me that the family might be looking at obstruction of justice if they acted on information that they withheld from police.

[Pterodactyl]

5. The police can't be everywhere. This family did what needed to be done.

[sulphurdunn]

7. Time is critical

in a kidnapping. The family did the right thing.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

13. Wow,

what an incredible story! The capriciousness of circumstance.

[wordpix]

16. hats off to this family and no, a protective order won't protect a woman when

she has an abusive nutcase violent man she's intimate with.

However, this guy was arrested and jailed for violating the order previously and threatened to kill the cops arresting him. WTF? After what he did to her (choking, holding knife to her neck, stalking, threatening to kill her, shoving 2 y.o. into a car, holding her hostage), he's jailed and then let out soon after? There should be an investigation into how that happened.

If this guy is not a danger to her, her son and society, then who is? This is the kind of guy who should be jailed until he gets an anger management course(s) and is monitored a long time while incarcerated. If he changes, fine, then let him out. But don't let him out when he's still a danger to her and others. This is not a police problem, it's a judicial problem.

[BlueJazz]

18. What wordpix said.

[gtar100]

20. May Bethany and her son finally live in peace.

What a nightmare they lived through. And I hope this means it really is over for them.

Makes me wonder what went on in Thomas' own childhood family because that sort of mentality - dominated by rage and jealousy - doesn't just happen in a vacuum.

[Ava Gadro]

22. This poor woman is going to have years of PTSD.

She's lucky to have such a strong and loving family. The ACA will also be there to ensure she receives the professional counseling she needs. She is a survivor.

[Posteritatis]

23. Sounds like that's exactly what needed to happen. Good. (nt)

[heaven05]

27. this person who ended up dead

got everything he deserved and IF there's a hell, more.

[ReRe]

28. Hey, if she was my family member....

.... I would have done the same thing. So glad they found and rescued her before her evil ex killed her.

[VADem1980]

40. Weak domestic violence laws are at fault

This is why there needs to be a federal law requiring all men chargex with domestic abuse be held without bail! Too dangerous to let out!