More charges filed against Houston man years after woman’s body found with limbs missing

In Houston, Texas (KTRK) — A Houston man, Carl Tates, aged 63, has been indicted by a grand jury in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, in connection with the 2019 murder of a Houston woman, Demetris Lincoln, aged 44.

Tates faces charges of second-degree murder related to the death of Lincoln. Both Tates and Lincoln hailed from Houston, as stated in official documents.

According to court records, Lincoln’s family reported their last contact with her on August 16, 2019. Concerned for her welfare, they requested a welfare check from the Houston police on August 23. Upon investigation, officers discovered Lincoln’s residence vacant, with no signs of forced entry, although her cell phone was found at the location.

The victim’s family informed authorities of Lincoln’s involvement in an allegedly abusive and violent relationship with Tates, court documents revealed.

Approximately four hours away from Houston, a woman’s decomposed body, lacking limbs, was discovered in a shallow ditch in Washington, Louisiana, on August 19, 2019. During the initial investigation, authorities were unable to identify the deceased woman.

Later in August, through collaborative efforts between law enforcement and Lincoln’s family, the victim was identified as Lincoln. Due to the condition of her body, an official cause of death could not be determined, according to records.

Cell phone records and license plate reader data reportedly indicated Tates’ travel to Louisiana on the same day Lincoln was last heard from.

Tates was previously charged with murder in Harris County in October 2022 in connection with Lincoln’s death. However, the disposition of the local charge, which has kept Tates incarcerated for eighteen months, has not been disclosed by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Efforts to reach the St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office for insights into the recent indictment, issued four and a half years after the victim’s death, have been unsuccessful, as confirmed by.

In an official statement, the St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office announced Tates’ impending extradition to Louisiana to face charges.

In Texas, a murder conviction carries a sentence ranging from five to 99 years behind bars, while in Louisiana, a second-degree murder charge mandates a sentence of life imprisonment with hard labor, without the possibility of parole.