A Louisiana woman was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after she beat a 66-year-old woman to death with a metal walker. The attack happened on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at a home in the 3500 block of Riverway Drive in Baton Rouge.
Denise Amy Law, 37, was arrested after the deadly attack on Melinda Reed, 66. The Baton Rouge Police Department said officers got a call about a physical assault shortly before 3 p.m. that day. When they arrived, they found Reed with serious injuries to her head and face. She was taken to a hospital right away, where she died from her injuries.
According to Law & Crime, people who saw what happened told police that the two women started arguing inside the house after Law accused Reed of wanting a relationship with her boyfriend. The fight got worse as the women moved from inside the home to the driveway outside. That’s when Law grabbed a metal walker and used it to hit Reed over and over again, mostly targeting her head.
What witnesses saw during the deadly attack
An affidavit obtained by The Advocate shows that at least one person who saw the attack told police that the hits from the walker made Reed fall to the ground. But Law didn’t stop even after Reed fell down. The witness said Law kept hitting Reed with the walker while she was on the ground. The beating only stopped when several people nearby were able to pull Law away from Reed.
The investigation also showed more details about what Law did after the attack. Police found out that Law had taken Reed’s cellphone and threw it into a storm drain, which looked like she was trying to get rid of evidence. Firefighters were able to get the phone back from the drain later. The walker itself was badly damaged from being used to hit Reed so many times.
Law was arrested the same day as the attack and taken to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. She is being held without bond on the first-degree murder charge. If found guilty, Law could spend life in prison without the chance of getting out or could even face the death penalty.
Sergeant Darren Ahmed of the Baton Rouge Police Department talked about the case. “According to other individuals on the scene it started off as a verbal dispute that led to her picking up, I believe it was a metal walker of some sort and she commenced to beating Mrs. Reed,” Ahmed said.
The investigation is still going on, and police are asking anyone with information about the case to call the Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867. This case is another example of violent crimes that have shocked communities around the country.
