Cross-state kidnapping ends with suspect’s death by self-inflicted gunshot
Published 11:15 am Wednesday, December 27, 2023
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
BEAUMONT — A Beaumont kidnapping suspect who allegedly barricaded himself in a home with two children died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday.
At 1:25 a.m., Beaumont Police Department officers responded to a home in the 6700 block of Greenwood in reference to a disturbance called in by a neighbor.
Preliminary investigation revealed a family violence aggravated kidnapping occurred.
Officers were able to determine the identity of the suspect and victim through previous call history, according to information from the Beaumont Police Department.
Police believe the suspect stole the victim’s vehicle during the kidnapping and officers began searching for the vehicle.
At 2:18 a.m., officers were notified that the victim’s vehicle was spotted in Vinton, Louisiana. Detectives relayed this information to law enforcement in Louisiana and continued their investigation.
At 4:35 a.m., Beaumont Police received a 911 call from a home in the 9600 block of Broun Street, stating a male was inside the home with a gun and the suspect was identified as Lee Austin Senegal Jr. (who was the suspect in the aggravated kidnapping from Greenwood), police said.
When officers arrived on Broun, they located the victim’s vehicle in front of the home and then located the kidnapping victim as well as the homeowner of the residence (both the kidnapping victim and homeowner were previously in relationships with the suspect).
Investigation revealed that after Senegal kidnapped the original victim on Greenwood, he took her to Louisiana against her will then drove to the address on Broun and kicked in the door.
Officers learned Senegal then barricaded himself and two children inside the home.
A SWAT call-out was initiated and BPD Hostage Negotiators began speaking with Senegal. They were eventually successful in getting Senegal to release the children.
Negotiations went on for more than two hours before officers later found Senegal inside the residence deceased with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
