Louisiana man ‘sat on the toilet smoking marijuana when he decided to shoot his girlfriend’s mother dead’ in front of her 10-year-old granddaughter
- Brandon Kestle, 31, charged with second-degree murder in Memorial Day killing of Linda Paquette
- Probable cause hearing revealed Kestle was in the bathroom listening to music and smoking pot when he decided he had to kill Paquette, 61
- Kestle allegedly got a gun, entered woman’s bedroom and shot her in front of Paquette’s 10-year-old granddaughter
A Louisiana man accused of shooting dead his girlfriend’s mother in front of a young child allegedly made the fateful decision to take the woman’s life while sitting on the toilet and smoking marijuana.
Graphic new details about the Memorial Day slaying of 66-year-old Linda Paquette, from Metairie, emerged on Tuesday during a probable cause hearing for her suspected killer, Brandon Kestle, 31.
A judge ruled there was enough probable cause to continue holding Kestle on a charge of second-degree murder and denied a motion seeking to reduce his $500,000 bond.
Brandon Kestle, 31 (left), has been charged with second-degree murder in the Memorial Day killing of his girlfriend’s mother, Linda Paquette, 66 (right)
A recent probable cause hearing revealed Kestle (pictured with Paquette’s daughter) was in the bathroom listening to music and smoking pot when he decided he had to kill her
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Detective Harold Wishan testified during Tuesday’s hearing that the incident began unfolding at around 1.30am on May 25 inside Paquette’s home in the 700 block of North Howard Avenue in Metairie, reported Nola.com.
According to the investigator, Kestle was smoking marijuana and listening to music on his phone in the bathroom when he decided he had to kill Paquette.
Kestle got up, grabbed a gun from his room, walked into Paquette’s bedroom and shot her once in the head in the presence of her 10-year-old granddaughter, Wishan told the court.
The 31-year-old screamed at the child to leave the room, after which he allegedly shot Paquette a second time in the head, killing her on the spot.
The terrified girl ran crying into the living room, where her aunt was sitting on the coach, and yelled ‘gun.’
Kestle then emerged from the victim’s room, told the woman in the living room he would call 911 and walked out of the house, according to the testimony
When deputies responded to the scene, Kestle met them outside and was taken into custody.
Kestle allegedly got a gun, entered Paquette’s bedroom and shot her in front of her 10-year-old granddaughter. His girlfriend and Paquette’s other daughter were in the house at the time
Wishan described the murder suspect as ‘amped up’ and ‘just all over the place.’
According to the description of a GoFundMe page set up by Paquette’s niece, Kestle’s girlfriend, Kelli, was also in the house at the time of the killing, along with her and the suspect’s youngest child.
The couple, who have been dating for about four years, welcomed the baby boy in January, according to Facebook posts.
Wishan said Kestle had moved into Paquette’s home in late April. There were said to be no signs of animosity between the man and the mother-of-three and grandmother in the month leading up to her violent death.
Kestle remained at the Jefferson Parish jail on Thursday.