A Louisiana woman fought back when faced with an attack by a convicted sex offender on Sunday, ultimately stabbing the assailant dead.
According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded at around 3:30 p.m. in the 28000 block of U.S. Highway 190, at a laundromat near Lacombe. The man, identified as 40-year-old Nicholas Tranchant, had previously been convicted twice for sex crimes, the sheriff’s office said.
Tranchant entered the laundromat armed with a sharp weapon, and then attempted to sexually assault the woman, police said. She managed to resist, gain control of the weapon, and stabbed Tranchant before making her escape.
Following the incident, Tranchant was transported to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The victim, sustaining unspecified injuries, was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
“I want to compliment this brave woman on the courage and strength she showed in fighting back against her attacker and ask for prayers for her continued recovery,” Sheriff Randy Smith said, following the attack.
Neighbor Gwen Batiste told FOX 8 that the news didn’t surprise her, given there are over 200 registered sex offenders in the area. She said she planned to wash her clothes at the laundromat on Sunday but was busy and never made it there.
“I got tied up and I didn’t get there. When I came through, I’d seen all the police and everything and started hearing things,” she said. “I went to Mandeville. I felt safer driving in the middle of the night to Mandeville than I did going right here less than half a mile from my home.”
In July 2003, Tranchant was convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile, and in May 2008, he was convicted of attempted aggravated rape and aggravated burglary. Following his release from jail on December 21, 2023, he was ordered to register as a sex offender.
“I understand everybody’s done their time,” Batiste added. “But when you hurt a woman, you hurt a child, there is no ‘you’ve done your time’ and it’s over with. It’s pretty sad and we need to bond together and get rid of these pedophiles and sex offenders. It’s become normal around here and it shouldn’t be.”
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[Feature Photo via St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office]
