Leo Desormeaux IV Guilty in Toddler Son's Death Receives LWOP

[Jeff1857]

KFDM News has learned investigators in Jasper County have filed capital murder charges against a father following the death of his son, and if convicted of the crime, the father could face the death penalty.

Jasper County Sheriff Ronnie McBride tells KFDM News that Friday afternoon, investigators filed capital murder charges against Leo Thomas Desormeaux IV in the death of 21 month old Triston Dobbins.

McBride tells KFDM News autopsy results indicate the toddler was shaken and died of injuries linked to the shaking. The baby had injuries to his face and neck. Authorities are waiting on further autopsy results from the medical examiner in Jefferson County.

Thursday, investigators filed charges of tampering with evidence against Desormeaux and his wife, Crystal, who isn't the child's mother, in connection with placing the child's body in his bed and not immediately calling authorities. That charge is a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in prison.

Triston was found dead Monday inside Desormeaux's home in Evadale.

Desormeaux told investigators the child fell in the bathtub Sunday night and began having a seizure.

Investigators say Desormeaux told them when he realized the child was dead, he put Triston in his bed and the family went to sleep.

The next morning, Desormeaux's wife told family members and someone called authorities.

Investigators asked him why he didn't call 9-1-1.

He said he was scared and upset.

The couple is being held in the Jasper County Jail.

[Michael]

Everytime the same excuses - accident, frightend, ... 

Regards

Michael

[Granny B]

"The couple is being held in the Jasper County Jail."

Jail is good. 

But a casket for each of them would be better!! 

[Michael]

GoB, maybe you should start in the prison builder business. 

Regards

Michael

[heidi salazar]

Trial underway in toddler death case





Attorneys have selected a jury in the capital murder trial of a man charged with killing his son.

Leo Desormeaux IV is on trial in Jasper County. He's charged in the December, 2007 death of Triston Dobbins.

The Jasper County District Attorney's Office isn't seeking the death penalty. If convicted, Desormeaux IV would face a life sentence.

His wife, Crystal, was acquitted of capital murder last May. She wasn't the child's biological mother.

The 21-month-old boy died while visiting his father and stepmother at their home in Evadale.

A medical examiner said Triston died of severe injuries to his head.

http://www.kfdm.com/news/death-36320-trial-died.html


Jury convicts Desormeaux of capital murder in death of son

A Jasper County jury has convicted a man of capital murder and injury to a child in the death of his son.

The jury returned with the verdict at about 5:30 p.m in the trial of Leo Desormeaux IV.

He'll receive an automatic life sentence because the Jasper County District Attorney's office wasn't seeking the death penalty.

The punishment phase begins Friday on the injury to a child charge.

Desormeaux was convicted of the December, 2007 death of his son, Triston Dobbins.

The 21-month-old boy died while visiting his father and stepmother at their home in Evadale.

A medical examiner said Triston died of severe injuries to his head.

Desormeaux testifed Thursday. He claimed that he didn't harm the child but placed the blame on his wife, Crystal Desormeaux.

A jury acquitted her last May of capital murder. She isn't the child's biological mother. She remains charged with a second degree felony of injury to a child as well as misdemeanor charges of failure to report a felony.

This story comes to us through our partnership with KJAS radio in Jasper.

 

JASPER - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - A Jasper County jury deliberated just over two hours on Thursday before coming back with two unanimous guilty verdicts against Leo Thomas Desormeaux IV.

Desormeaux, 28, has now been convicted of both capital murder, and injury to a child in the death of his young son, Triston Dobbins, in December of 2007 at his Evadale home. His wife, Crystal, was acquitted of the same crime by a Jasper County jury last year.

Under Texas law, capital murder of a child less than 6-year-old carries an automatic life sentence. However, there will still be a punishment phase in the matter of injury to a child, and the court proceedings will resume at 9:00 Friday morning in the Jasper County Courthouse.

During testimony on Thursday, jurors heard from Amy Dobbins, the mother of Triston. Dobbins said on the stand that she still believes that Crystal Desormeaux killed the child. Desormeaux’s defense attorney, Bruce Smith asked Dobbins that if she thought Leo killed the baby, would she be on the witness stand supporting him, she said no.

Dobbins also testified that she believed Leo was a good father, and although she noticed bruises on the young child, she continued to let him go back to Leo. She said that she warned Leo that if the child came home with one more bruise, she would call CPS, but she never did.

Later, outside of the courtroom, Dobbins told KJAS News that she hopes that Desormeaux is found guilty of the lesser charge against him, which is injury to a child, rather than the most serious charge of capital murder.

 http://www.kfdm.com/news/jury-36373-desormeaux-death.html