LAWRENCE CO.—A horrific attack on a Lawrence County woman has left her in a serious condition at an Indiana hospital, but authorities are still waiting on lab results before they can charge the man suspected to have perpetrated it.
Lea N. Catt, 39, was hospitalized on the evening of Wednesday, January 15, after she was discovered at a St. Francisville residence, unresponsive on the floor.
According to a report St. F police chief Billy Darnell delivered to dispatch, “it looks like somebody either bit her face off or took a knife to her.”
As it turned out, neither one was the case; but the damage inflicted on Catt was extensive enough to cause massive confusion as to how it occurred.
Considering the totality of the circumstances, however, and the reason why Catt was at the residence to begin with, authorities were able to piece together what happened: That Catt had gone to the residence to see her boyfriend, well-known Lawrence County crim Tommy Shoulders, 38, and as a result, received such a beating that she lost several teeth, had the side of her skull caved in, and had her nose and lips practically torn off.
Went to uncle’s home
Authorities have advised Disclosure that Shoulders was staying at the St. F residence of his 82-year-old uncle, who was asleep at the time Catt came to the home.
At some time prior to 9 p.m., the uncle heard screams coming from another part of the house, and emerged from his bedroom to find Catt unconscious on the floor, covered in blood.
He called for emergency response; Darnell was among the first to arrive, and issued what he thought appeared to be the case: that there was a woman who “looked like she had her face bit off” inside the dwelling, and no sign of a perpetrator.
Emergency medical personnel arrived and transported Catt to Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrenceville, where at approximately 9:30, she was evacuated by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
There, she underwent surgery to remove bone shards from her brain on the side of her head where the skull was caved in.
Plastic surgery was also done, reportedly in order to reattach her nose and lips.
There was no indication of what was done with the upper and lower teeth that reportedly were also knocked loose and caved in in the attack.
The surgeon who performed the brain surgery issued his opinion to authorities that it appeared Catt’s injuries were sustained by “blunt force trauma,” but didn’t elaborate as to what exactly was used in the blunt force.
Weapon not found; Shoulders was
Shoulders’ uncle was questioned and the house was searched, but neither Tommy Shoulders, nor a weapon that could have been utilized to inflict such wounds, could be found.
However, later that evening, Shoulders was located by authorities in the vicinity of WAKO radio station, just off business 50 to the northeast of Lawrenceville.
Reports indicate that Shoulders had called a relative to come get him from the St. F uncle’s home and take him to a “safe” location; then, when he was either tired of hiding out or was in need of food and water, called that relative again and asked her to bring him some water.
Instead of doing this, she called authorities and advised them that this was where Shoulders was hanging out, and city police came to apprehend him.
Because the incident took place in St. Francisville and was significantly more weighty than the random traffic stop Darnell is used to performing, the Illinois State Police were called in.
Held on bond revocation
Shoulders was processed and placed in a cell at the Lawrence County Jail…but it wasn’t for the attack on Catt.
Instead, prosecutor Chris Quick opted to hold Shoulders on a December 5, 2013 complaint that had been made after Shoulders had allegedly punched one Brian Stallard at a location on 15th Street in Lawrenceville. The complaint had already been made, and the charge was pending…only because Shoulders was awaiting outcome on a multi-count felony charge he was facing from last year, in which Aggravated Domestic Battery, Intimidation with a threat of physical harm, Criminal Trespass to a Residence (all felonies) and misdemeanor Domestic Battery with Bodily Harm were charged against him.
All counts had to do with a June 2013 incident wherein it was alleged he beat up Catt.
As a condition of bond on the June 2013 case, Shoulders was not to get into any trouble of any kind.
When the incident with Stallard happened, that was cause to revoke bond on the June 2013 incident, although that hadn’t been filed when the situation with Catt occurred.
However, Quick filed such a petition, along with the formal charges on Stallard’s complaint, on January 16…and that is what’s holding Shoulders in the county lockup: on a $100,000 bail ($10,000 cash bond.)
State Crime Lab put on a rush
While Shoulders awaits progress and outcome on the two pending cases, the Illinois State Police crime lab is busy analyzing the clothing he was wearing at the time he was apprehended.
There was, authorities have confirmed, blood on the clothing, and it did appear to be spatter blood, but whose blood will have to await analysis at the state crime lab…which is on a four to six week delay for processing, even with a “rush” put on it as in this case.
There is otherwise nothing else to connect Shoulders with Catt’s beating: a search warrant obtained on the 16th for the uncle’s residence turned up nothing of evidentiary value that could connect Shoulders to actually perpetrating the crime.
Shoulders has an incredibly lengthy criminal record in Lawrence County dating back to 1997 and a first DOC stint for Intimidation with Physical Harm threatened.
Other felony convictions include Mob Action, Aggravated Intimidation of a Peace Officer, Criminal Damage to Government Property, Aggravated DUI and a handful of DUIs and misdemeanors to boot.
Most importantly, however, is the fact that his recent record reflects felony domestic battery counts, for which he’s also spent time in DOC.
Catt, too, is a convicted felon, with her realm of crime centering on theft allegations and drug felonies, the latter of which include Possession of a Controlled Substance just two years ago. She is currently on parole in Lawrence after a short stint (August 30 to Dec. 11, 2013) in Decatur Correctional.
DOC stats show that she bears tattoos of the names “Tommy” and “Tom,” attesting to the dysfunctional relationship she has endured and participated in for what Lawrence residents say has been a number of years.
Shoulders was next set for a preliminary hearing on the Stallard battery incident on delivery date of this issue, January 29.