Man pleads to lesser charge in attempted murder case

A 25-year-old Morgan City man, who was one of five suspects originally charged in a December 2014 attempted murder, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge this week.
Zenen Vasquez-Chavez, 25, of Morgan City, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, Assistant District Attorney Anthony Saleme said. His sentencing date is set for Feb. 23.
The district attorney origi-nally filed a bill of infor-mation Feb. 26, 2015, charg-ing Vasquez-Chavez with attempted first-degree mur-der and armed robbery.
On Dec. 14, 2014, Morgan City police began an investi-gation into an armed robbery and attempted first-degree murder. The victim said he met Mariah Ann Grimes at Cajun Country Lounge in Morgan City, according to an affidavit.
The victim told Grimes he sold his mobile home for $4,500. Grimes, who was already familiar with the location of the victims ad-dress, asked him his address again, the affidavit said.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 14, 2014, the victim heard a loud knocking on the door at which time he went to the door and saw Grimes on the other side. He didn’t open the door, but someone force-fully opened it and about six men entered the home, the affidavit said. The incident occurred on Levee Road, police said.
One man was armed with a pocketknife and another man had a four-way lug wrench. The men stated they were going to kill the victim and demanded money, the affidavit stated.
While the men were attacking the victim, he gave up the location of the money. The suspects took about $3,000 during the robbery, the affidavit said. The victim suffered numerous lacerations across his body.
Investigators found a Volkswagen Jetta in the area registered to Geronimo Ramirez Martinez. Police spoke to Martinez’s girl-friend, who said Martinez had been at her apartment that morning with two other men.
She told police that the men removed a full garbage bag from the apartment. Police found the bag in a nearby dumpster containing blood-stained clothing and also located a four-way lug wrench, the affidavit said.
Police interviewed Grimes who said that she and the men took refuge at a Terre-bonne Street apartment overnight, the affidavit said.
Other suspects in the case were identified as Jesus Munoz Perez, Vasquez-Chavez and Ossiel Munoz Perez.
Martinez pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to aggravated battery. The district attorney initially charged Martinez with at-tempted first-degree murder, armed robbery and aggravated burglary.
Grimes, Jesus Perez and Ossiel Perez all still face charges. Grimes, Jesus Perez and Ossiel Perez were arrested on the charges of armed robbery, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated burglary.