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Storeowner kills burglar, police say
2nd burglar wounded, captured
Mandy M. Goodnight / The Town Talk
Posted on May 7, 2003
An Alexandria storeowner shot two burglars - killing one of them - early Tuesday when they entered the business through the ceiling, police said.
Burnell Battles Jr., 31, of Alexandria was fatally shot inside the Tobacco Shop on Elliott Street about 3 a.m., Alexandria police said.
Kenard Metoyer, 29, of Alexandria was shot once in the leg.
Battles and Metoyer were shot by the storeowner, Coy Gremillion, according to police. Gremillion has not been charged with a crime.
The store was closed at the time, but Gremillion was staying inside in an effort to deter break-ins.
After being shot, Metoyer left but was located in an apartment on 16th Street.
He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated, released and then arrested.
Sgt. Don Weatherford said Metoyer was booked on a charge of aggravated burglary. He remained in the Rapides Parish Jail late Tuesday. No bail had been set.
Weatherford said no other arrest has been made. Once the investigation is over, a report will be turned over to the Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office for grand jury consideration, he said.
Under justifiable homicide in the state criminal code book, it describes the action to be lawful "... inside a dwelling, a place of business or a motor vehicle as defined in R.S. 31:1(40), against a person who is attempting to make an unlawful entry into the dwelling, place of business or motor vehicle, or who has made an unlawful entry into the dwelling, place of business or motor vehicle."
The statute also says the person committing the homicide "reasonably believes that the use of deadly force" would stop the intruder or make him or her leave.
Officers were called to the store at 1771-B Elliott St. about 3 a.m.
Gremillion had reported to police recent break-ins at his store.
He told police that in an effort to deter the burglaries, he was staying in the store, including at night after the store was closed for the day. Weatherford said Gremillion had stayed there the past couple of days.
Police said it appears Battles and Metoyer entered the building through a side door to the strip mall that includes the Tobacco Shop.
The Tobacco Shop is located between an office that did not have a sign in front and the Barbara R. Yancy Ministries Prayer Center Headquarters.
Police said the men entered the Tobacco Shop through the ceiling and had burglary tools.
Investigators said there did not appear to be an altercation, but Gremillion did shoot the two men.
Police did not release what caliber weapon was used or how many times Battles was shot.
Weatherford said an autopsy on Battles has been requested.
Both Battles and Metoyer had a criminal history. Metoyer had been arrested in March on drug charges.
Battles had a criminal history that began in 1991 and included arrests for burglary and drug charges, according to courthouse records.
Late Tuesday morning, a police unit and detectives remained at the crime scene.
By that time, the crime-scene tape was gone, and outside there was little sign of the early morning incident except for the "Sorry, we're closed" sign hanging in the window.
Crime-scene investigators were working inside the store but did come out to survey an open door on the side of the building.
A number of motorists drove up to the shop, and some even parked and got out before being told the store was closed.
All of them asked what was going on, and most wanted to know when the store would reopen.
It is unknown when the store will open again.
The Town Talk was unable to reach Gremillion for comment Tuesday.
Gremillion has been in the news the past few years with his casket and funeral businesses.
He opened Last Wish Caskets on Bolton Avenue in 1999 with the intention of selling caskets at about half the normal cost, but that business was quickly shut down after complaints to the Louisiana Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.
Later that year, Gremillion opened Magnolia Funeral Home on Magnolia Street.
In 2001, he was found guilty by the embalmers board of running a misleading casket advertisement.
Gremillion said at that time he felt the board was targeting him because he wants to sell affordable caskets.
http://www.thetowntalk.com/html/15EC8CF0-6A45-48D3-802F-DFCB047E868C.shtml
NEVER rob a man whose business goal is to sell affordable caskets....
2nd burglar wounded, captured
Mandy M. Goodnight / The Town Talk
Posted on May 7, 2003
An Alexandria storeowner shot two burglars - killing one of them - early Tuesday when they entered the business through the ceiling, police said.
Burnell Battles Jr., 31, of Alexandria was fatally shot inside the Tobacco Shop on Elliott Street about 3 a.m., Alexandria police said.
Kenard Metoyer, 29, of Alexandria was shot once in the leg.
Battles and Metoyer were shot by the storeowner, Coy Gremillion, according to police. Gremillion has not been charged with a crime.
The store was closed at the time, but Gremillion was staying inside in an effort to deter break-ins.
After being shot, Metoyer left but was located in an apartment on 16th Street.
He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated, released and then arrested.
Sgt. Don Weatherford said Metoyer was booked on a charge of aggravated burglary. He remained in the Rapides Parish Jail late Tuesday. No bail had been set.
Weatherford said no other arrest has been made. Once the investigation is over, a report will be turned over to the Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office for grand jury consideration, he said.
Under justifiable homicide in the state criminal code book, it describes the action to be lawful "... inside a dwelling, a place of business or a motor vehicle as defined in R.S. 31:1(40), against a person who is attempting to make an unlawful entry into the dwelling, place of business or motor vehicle, or who has made an unlawful entry into the dwelling, place of business or motor vehicle."
The statute also says the person committing the homicide "reasonably believes that the use of deadly force" would stop the intruder or make him or her leave.
Officers were called to the store at 1771-B Elliott St. about 3 a.m.
Gremillion had reported to police recent break-ins at his store.
He told police that in an effort to deter the burglaries, he was staying in the store, including at night after the store was closed for the day. Weatherford said Gremillion had stayed there the past couple of days.
Police said it appears Battles and Metoyer entered the building through a side door to the strip mall that includes the Tobacco Shop.
The Tobacco Shop is located between an office that did not have a sign in front and the Barbara R. Yancy Ministries Prayer Center Headquarters.
Police said the men entered the Tobacco Shop through the ceiling and had burglary tools.
Investigators said there did not appear to be an altercation, but Gremillion did shoot the two men.
Police did not release what caliber weapon was used or how many times Battles was shot.
Weatherford said an autopsy on Battles has been requested.
Both Battles and Metoyer had a criminal history. Metoyer had been arrested in March on drug charges.
Battles had a criminal history that began in 1991 and included arrests for burglary and drug charges, according to courthouse records.
Late Tuesday morning, a police unit and detectives remained at the crime scene.
By that time, the crime-scene tape was gone, and outside there was little sign of the early morning incident except for the "Sorry, we're closed" sign hanging in the window.
Crime-scene investigators were working inside the store but did come out to survey an open door on the side of the building.
A number of motorists drove up to the shop, and some even parked and got out before being told the store was closed.
All of them asked what was going on, and most wanted to know when the store would reopen.
It is unknown when the store will open again.
The Town Talk was unable to reach Gremillion for comment Tuesday.
Gremillion has been in the news the past few years with his casket and funeral businesses.
He opened Last Wish Caskets on Bolton Avenue in 1999 with the intention of selling caskets at about half the normal cost, but that business was quickly shut down after complaints to the Louisiana Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.
Later that year, Gremillion opened Magnolia Funeral Home on Magnolia Street.
In 2001, he was found guilty by the embalmers board of running a misleading casket advertisement.
Gremillion said at that time he felt the board was targeting him because he wants to sell affordable caskets.
http://www.thetowntalk.com/html/15EC8CF0-6A45-48D3-802F-DFCB047E868C.shtml
NEVER rob a man whose business goal is to sell affordable caskets....
