A couple has been re-indicted on murder charges after their dead daughter's body was found "melted" into a couch in their home after she was left to sit there for 12 years.
Sheila and Clay Fletcher were initially arrested in January 2022 when their 36-year-old daughter, Lacey Ellen Fletcher, was discovered dead on a couch covered in urine and faeces, weighing less than 100 pounds.
The charges were initially tossed by a judge due to technical issues with the language in the charging affidavits.
The medical examiner described Lacey as having "melted" into the couch, while investigators said that Lacey's body was semi-naked and sitting in an upright position in a sunken-in crevice on the couch.
She tested positive for Covid-19 and her body was festooned in urine, liquid faeces, maggots, insect bites and severe ulcers.
At the time, East Feliciana Parish Coroner Dr Ewell Dewitt Bickham III described the scene as "sickening".
He said: "I’ve seen some horrible things in my life but nothing like this. The parents were in the kitchen. They did not have an explanation. I couldn’t eat for a week and I cried for a week.”
Dr Bickham added that evidence suggested Lacey had been on the couch for a minimum of 12 years.
The Louisiana couple has now been rearrested and indicted again on murder charges.
Lacey suffered from severe Asperger's syndrome and locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.
In a statement, the prosecutor said, "We will ensure there is justice for Lacey and the public knows that caregivers will be charged for neglecting or abusing a person in their care."
The defence raised objections to the indictment papers, citing differences from the ones filed officially. The judge denied some of their objections.
The couple maintains their innocence, claiming Lacey refused to leave the living room, where they provided her meals and a potty.
District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla argued that the parents intended to kill her.
In a previous statement, he said: “We don’t treat animals or neglect animals in that way. If you have an animal in that condition you have to take them to a vet.
“If you are not capable of providing the care then get help. We want people to know that if you are a caregiver of someone you need to pay attention.
"It is important for neighbours and the community to look out for each other. We hope this never happens again."
The trial is expected to take place later this year.
