L’Observateur / September 6, 2000

RESERVE – A woman driving down Homewood Place early Monday morning unexpectedly found herself in the midst of a murder scene.

Veronica Nicholson was driving along the Reserve street Monday at 1 a.m.when she came across a woman screaming in the middle of the street that she needed help.

Nicholson stopped and soon found herself looking at the body of David John Fluence, 33, of 188 Homewood, according to Capt. Michael Tregre of the St.John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office.

Nicholson examined Fluence, turned him over and found a stab wound in the upper left chest. She attempted CPR on Fluence, who was not breathing, untilpolice arrived. Fluence was transported to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace,where he was soon pronounced dead.

Detective Todd Hymel was summoned to the scene of the stabbing, and he arrested the screaming woman, identified as Laura A. Eugene, 39, living atthe same address as Fluence since November 1998. After taking a tapedstatement from her, she was booked with second-degree murder.

Tregre said that Reserve address has a long history of domestic violence reports in recent months.

Return To News Stories