Elmo Patrick Sonnier

Elmo Patrick "Pat" Sonnier (February 21, 1950 – April 5, 1984) was a convicted American murderer and rapist who was executed by electrocution at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Louisiana on April 5, 1984. Sonnier was sentenced to death and his younger brother Eddie to life on April 25, 1978 for the November 5, 1977 rape and murder of Loretta Ann Bourque, 18, and the murder of David LeBlanc, 17. Sonnier's presence on Louisiana's death row came to the attention of Sister Helen Prejean when she was asked to write to death row inmates as part of her Order's community outreach program.

On November 4, 1977, 17-year-old David LeBlanc and his girlfriend 18-year-old Loretta Ann Bourque attended the Homecoming football game at the Catholic High School in Iberia Parish, Louisiana. After the game, the couple drove to an isolated area in St. Martin Parish frequented by many young couples who used the spot as a lovers' lane. At around 1 a.m., the couple were approached by two men, 27-year-old Elmo Patrick "Pat" Sonnier and his younger brother 20-year-old Eddie James Sonnier. The brothers had been in the area hunting rabbits and were armed with 22-caliber rifles.

The Sonniers identified themselves as police officers and presented a badge that one of the brothers acquired while working as a security guard. The brothers then entered LeBlanc's car. They told the couple that they were trespassing on private property and were under arrest. The brothers took LeBlanc's and Bourque's driver's licenses, handcuffed the couple and moved them to the back seat. They then told the couple that they were going to drive them to the home of land's owner to see if the owner wished to press trespassing charges. The Sonniers then drove the couple to an oilfield in Iberia Parish and parked by the road. David LeBlanc was removed from the car and handcuffed to a tree in a nearby wooded area. Loretta Bourque was also removed from the car and was raped by Elmo Sonnier. After being raped by Elmo, the brothers told her they would release both her and LeBlanc unharmed if she had sex with Eddie James Sonnier. Bourque agreed. Afterwards, the brothers took the couple back to the car still parked by the road and removed the couple's handcuffs. Elmo Sonnier quickly decided against releasing the couple fearing the two might report the incident and he would be reincarcerated at Angola. The brothers then forced the couple to lie face down in a ditch. According to the court testimony of Eddie Sonnier, Loretta Bourque began to cry when Elmo fired his 22-caliber rifle at her but missed. Elmo fired a second time striking Bourque. He then shot David LeBlanc in the back of the head. Elmo shot each victim two more times despite the fact that the first shot had killed LeBlanc and Bourque instantly. During the shootings, Eddie Sonnier claimed he held a flashlight so his brother could see his targets.