Family of Kidnapped Louisiana Woman Kills Abductor in Daring Rescue

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/family-kidnapped-louisiana-woman-kills-abductor-daring-rescue/story?id=20839241

he family of a kidnapped Louisiana mother tracked down and killed the father of her child in the abandoned house where he was allegedly holding her prisoner, authorities said.

Bethany Arceneaux, 29, of Duson, La., was abducted in the parking lot of a daycare where she was picking up her 2-year-old at approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Department Captain Kip Judice told ABCNews.com.

Witnesses saw the suspect, Scott Thomas, allegedly force Arceneaux into his white Buick LeSabre, before driving off, Lafayette Police Department spokesman Paul Mouton told ABCNews.com.

Thomas, 29, of Leonville, La., is the father of Arceneaux's child, Judice said. The woman had a restraining order against Thomas, but Judice said he did not know when it was filed.

The child was left behind in the woman's car, and was later taken into custody by the woman's mother, Mouton said.

Later that evening, law enforcement officials found Thomas' car near an abandoned sugarcane field in a rural area of Lafayette Parish, La., Judice said.

One of Arceneaux's shoes was found in the car, while the other had been left in the parking lot of the daycare where she had been last seen.

Authorities searched the sugarcane field Wednesday night and all day Thursday, but to no avail, Judice said. The cane towers as high as eight feet tall and was "a brutal search area" for officials, he said.

It wasn't until Friday morning, when Arceneaux's family members conducted their own search in the same area that they came upon a secluded, abandoned house behind a cluster of trees.

The house was directly across the street from the field where Thomas abandoned his car, but only the home's roof was visible from the road, Judice said.

"[The family] converged on a piece of property about a mile from where the car was found," Judice said. "One of the family members heard what he thought was a scream."

Arceneaux's cousin approached the home, kicked in the door in and entered, Judice said. Inside, he found Thomas with the woman. Thomas then began stabbing Arceneaux, and a confrontation ensued.

"The cousin, who was armed, began firing several shots at Thomas," Judice said. "After a couple of shots, [Arceneaux] was able to get free of him and they escorted her out of the house."

Arcenaux suffered several stab wounds and was taken by ambulance to Lafayette General Medical Center, where she is in stable condition, Judice said. It is not known if Arceneaux had been stabbed before her cousin found her inside the home, officials said.

Meanwhile, officers who heard the gun shots fired surrounded the home, Judice said. Upon entering, they found Thomas' lifeless body on the ground. He had sustained several gunshot wounds.

Thomas' cause of death is not known, Judice said. An autopsy on the body will be conducted by Lafayette Parish Coroner Ken Odinet, but it is not known when it will take place.

ABC News' attempts to reach Odinet were not immediately successful.

Thomas did not own the abandoned home, Judice said. At this point, there is no known connection between Thomas and the property's owners.

Arceneaux told investigators that the home was the only place she remembers being held hostage, Judice said. She said she had not eaten or drunk anything since her abduction on Wednesday.

No charges have been filed against the man who shot Thomas, and it is unlikely that the man will be charged, Judice said.

"In the state of Louisiana, you have a right to protect yourself and others from imminent bodily harm," he said. "We believe at this point, based on evidence and statements collected, that this guy was acting in defense of Ms. Arceneaux and thus, was within the state law."

ABC News' attempts to reach Arceneaux's family were not immediately successful.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Great job!!! That piece of nothingness got what he deserved. Now for the long recovery of the mother whom I am sure has been psychologically damaged.

People should learn to separate peacefully.

[Darnell 8,479]

That is so cool ! I'd much rather read stories like this, then the other poo that gets posted.

C-Lator - Thanks so much ! You Rock, and Stuff !

GoGoGadget HuntKillTheBadGuys...

[Janelle2002 3,865]

That is so cool ! I'd much rather read stories like this, then the other poo that gets posted.

C-Lator - Thanks so much ! You Rock, and Stuff !

GoGoGadget HuntKillTheBadGuys...

Agreed!

We need two more buttons on VJ. Ignore and F you!

Be glad when they install these new enhancements. I would be an advocate user.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

That poor kidnapper! All he wanted to do was torture the mother of his child and stab her to death and now he has lost his life due to some gun nut taking the law into his own hands. If guns were taken away from all law abiding citizens, this kidnapping and would be murderer would still be alive. Lawful gun owners never stop crimes, their guns just get used against them and their families. Oh wait!

How did I do? Did I get it right before one of the anti-gun VJ'ers step in with some of their nonsense?

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

That poor kidnapper! All he wanted to do was torture the mother of his child and stab her to death and now he has lost his life due to some gun nut taking the law into his own hands. If guns were taken away from all law abiding citizens, this kidnapping and would be murderer would still be alive. Lawful gun owners never stop crimes, their guns just get used against them and their families. Oh wait!

How did I do? Did I get it right before one of the anti-gun VJ'ers step in with some of their nonsense?

Perfect.

I would love to torture my ex-also. However i have impulse control and I am scared of Prison sex

[ready4ONE 5,400]

That poor kidnapper! All he wanted to do was torture the mother of his child and stab her to death and now he has lost his life due to some gun nut taking the law into his own hands. If guns were taken away from all law abiding citizens, this kidnapping and would be murderer would still be alive. Lawful gun owners never stop crimes, their guns just get used against them and their families. Oh wait!

How did I do? Did I get it right before one of the anti-gun VJ'ers step in with some of their nonsense?

Other than forgetting that your sarcasm comes closer to the usual reality of what happens when gun owners take the law into their own hands, cudos! The exception always provides gun aficionados with all the erroneous justification they need.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Other than forgetting that your sarcasm comes closer to the usual reality of what happens when gun owners take the law into their own hands, cudos! The exception always provides gun aficionados with all the erroneous justification they need.

You guys keep saying that yet cannot provide statistics to back it up. Show me the errors.

[lostinblue 1,989]

You guys keep saying that yet cannot provide statistics to back it up. Show me the errors.

You know what he means all gun owners commit murders and the children all kill themselves with guns.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

You know what he means all gun owners commit murders and the children all kill themselves with guns.

Quite a few here keep posting that anyone who keeps a gun in the house is more likely to have the gun used against them or their family vs using it against an attacker. Everyday someone posts a story about a legitimate gun owner using their weapon to defend themselves or others against an aggressor, yet the anti-gun members never post an article where a criminal used the persons gun against them.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

You know what he means all gun owners commit murders and the children all kill themselves with guns.

I didn't say anything resembling that. Nor will I be doing the research for you or spooky. Guns mostly do nothing but cost money and increase risk. If gun aficionados find a story such as the OP they latch on to it as justification for their own personal gun ownership. Silly. Like making a complete fabrication of my post to provide yourself with more misbegotten comfort.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That whole situation is depraved. I don't think there's a huge amount to brag about here, the whole thing is horrific.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I didn't say anything resembling that. Nor will I be doing the research for you or spooky. Guns mostly do nothing but cost money and increase risk. If gun aficionados find a story such as the OP they latch on to it as justification for their own personal gun ownership. Silly. Like making a complete fabrication of my post to provide yourself with more misbegotten comfort.

C. I have no idea idea how to respond to the overwhelming facts you presented, so I will just call you a nut job or insult you and move on, and claim I already answered the question. ( this covers the tin foil hat stupidity

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

Make no mistake, Bethany would be dead if not for her cousin finding her in time and shooting her attacker. Never underestimate a man who commits domestic violence. The cops were, as usual, of little help when it counted. This is why as a general rule I don't ascribe to the "liberal" trend of controlling gun ownership to the point where even law abiding, responsible citizens can't own firearms or protect themselves. The hero cousin probably would have been charged with manslaughter if this took place in New York, or he wouldn't have owned the firearm in the first place because it's prohibitive for most people to get a hand gun license here.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Sarah and Adnan

[ready4ONE 5,400]

C. I have no idea idea how to respond to the overwhelming facts you presented, so I will just call you a nut job or insult you and move on, and claim I already answered the question. ( this covers the tin foil hat stupidity

And I thought Spooks had a lock on dumbest retort, way to save his bacon with your redundant letter response!