St. Mary Parish man convicted of manslaughter from 2018

FRANKLIN, La. (KLFY) – A St. Mary Parish man has been convicted of a 2018 manslaughter charge in Morgan City, according to 16th Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhé.

70-year-old Patricia Lynn Russo was found dead by her housekeeper in her residence in Morgan City on Oct. 1, 2018. Michael Lee Guidry, Russo’s handyman, was the last person who spoke to the victim on the phone. Guidry was identified as a suspect after an investigation showed that his vehicle was seen on surveillance video around the time of the murder. Six minutes after Guidry’s car was seen leaving the neighborhood, he used the victim’s bank card at an ATM in Morgan City. Subsequent surveillance video and the victim’s bank records showed Guidry using her bank card at gas stations and casinos in Louisiana, Texas and Florida.

Guidry’s vehicle was found days later, abandoned on the side of I-10 in Harrison County, Mississippi. Guidry was found hiding with a family member  the following day in Independence, La. and placed under arrest.

A four day trial ended with a jury unanimously finding Guidry guilty of manslaughter on Friday, Aug. 25.

A sentencing hearing is set for Oct. 10, at 9:00 a.m. Guidry could face up to 40 years of hard labor.

Morgan City Police handled the investigation.