A Shreveport man charged with beating a female acquaintance to death over an argument regarding a gun was found guilty in Caddo District Court Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
Carlos Demond Ary, 34, was found guilty as charged of second-degree murder by the 11-woman, one-man jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court, after deliberations lasting approximately one hour.
Witness and expert testimony and evidence proved that Ary beat Wendy Akins on the third floor of the Knights Inn motelĀ in the 4900 block of Monkhouse Drive on September 25, 2021. Ary, who would sometimes share a room at the hotel with Ms. Akins, accused her of stealing his firearm. An argument ensued, with Ary going to the parking lot and arming himself with a metal pipe. Returning to the room, the argument resumed, and when Ms. Akins threatened to have the defendant Ary removed from the hotel, he beat her in the head with the pipe. The victim was transported to Ochsner LSU Health hospital where on Oct. 1, 2021, she succumbed to her injuries.
When Ary returns to Judge Hathaway’s court May 9, he faces a mandatory life sentence without possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
Assistant District Attorneys Jason Waltman and Christopher Bowman prosecuted Ary. Katie Ferguson and Evan McMichael defended him.
The case was docket No. 385451.
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