Patterson man pleads guilty to negligent homicide in girlfriend's death

A Patterson man has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in the February 2015 death of his girlfriend, who died two weeks after the suspect allegedly beat her.
Troy Anthony Benoit, 53, of Patterson, pleaded guilty Monday in 16th Judicial District Court to the charge of negligent homicide in the February 2015 death of Melba Royer, 55, of Bayou Vista. District Judge Curtis Sigur then sentenced Benoit to three years in prison at hard labor, Assistant District Attorney Anthony Saleme stated.
A grand jury had indicted Benoit in September 2015 on the charge of manslaughter in Royer's death.
According to an affidavit, on Feb. 12, 2015, Teche Regional Medical Center called the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office stating that Royer had been admitted to the hospital.
"Royer was suffering from injuries consistent with domestic abuse battery, based on statements she made to the responding deputy and nurses" at the hospital, the affidavit said.
She had numerous broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Royer stated that her boyfriend, Benoit, had battered her, the affidavit said.
Royer stated that the two had an argument early that morning at her home in Bayou Vista. She was in the hospital from Feb. 12-19 and was then released, the affidavit said.
On Feb. 27, 2015, Royer was found dead at her home by her sister, who was helping care for Royer as she lived alone, the affidavit said.
Royer's death was determined to be a homicide, according to a pathologist's report. The report stated that the cause of death was due to "complications from blunt force injuries" to her body as a result of an assault and "poly drug toxicity." Cardiovascular disease also contributed to her death, the affidavit said.