Bookter trial ends after he pleads guilty

A 32-year-old man pleaded guilty to manslaughter Sunday and was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the June 2010 slaying of a Baton Rouge woman whose burned remains were discovered in a St. Gabriel pasture.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said Camari Bookter’s attorneys made the offer to prosecutors, and the family of 22-year-old Kasey Ann Eackels agreed to it, bringing Bookter’s second-degree murder trial to an abrupt end.

“We discussed this thoroughly with the victim’s family. This is something they wanted,” Moore said.

Eackels, a mother of three young children, was last seen with Bookter on June 3, 2010, the day her family reported her missing. Bookter and Eackels were seen early that morning at the Triple A Bar on Bennington Avenue and later at his apartment on GSRI Avenue, sheriff’s officials have said.

Bookter was seen leaving the apartment later that day and returning again a short time later. Eackels was not seen leaving the apartment, sheriff’s officials stated.

Detectives spoke with Bookter via cellphone on June 7, 2010, and he told them Eackels had left his apartment after they argued, authorities said. Bookter would not tell detectives where he was, they said.

Two days later, a St. Gabriel resident checking on his horses found what turned out to be Eackels’ body near La. 141, about three miles from the highway’s intersection with La. 75. Witnesses told police they saw a fire burning in the area June 3, 2010, the day Eackels was reported missing, but did not report it to authorities because the blaze was in a field and not close to any residences.

Prosecutor Kory Tauzin told jurors Friday that Eackels suffered a stab wound to the neck.

Bookter was previously convicted of second-degree kidnapping, attempted armed robbery and illegal possession of stolen things. He was in prison for those crimes from March 1998 until July 2007. Bookter went back to prison in September 2007 after his parole was revoked and was released again in April 2008.

Comments

1) Comment by Bouncer - 11/09/2012

I agree with much of what has already been said. That scumbag will be less than 50 years old when he is released, with plenty of years of freedom ahead of him, which means freedom to return to his criminal ways in society. This sentence is just wrong.

2) Comment by MrVPP - 10/09/2012

@dday198 I take your point, but I have been around these courts for 20 years, and I know a DA can lean on a family. A family that is likely uninformed about the legal system and grieving trusts the DA to do the right thing, and to me this does not look right at all. My opinion. And my votes when Marabella and Moore come around for election next time.

3) Comment by Duckyluve - 10/09/2012

Typical slap on the wrist in ebr courts. The courts are a total joke in ebr

4) Comment by dday198 - 10/09/2012

the family wanted it OVER

5) Comment by MrVPP - 10/09/2012

This is what comes of electing a criminal defense attorney as DA. And this DA runs Judge Marabella's courtroom, as we see by this unbelievably weak sentence. 32 years old and this guy has spent about 10 years in prison, committed at least three serious crimes before he kills a woman, and the judge gives him 17 years? Marabella and Hillar Moore were law partners and we see who rules the Judge now. Remember this at election time. I will.