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Man with extensive criminal past allegedly murders girlfriend while on bond for previous abuse

4 years 1 month 2 weeks ago Thursday, August 20 2020 Aug 20, 2020 August 20, 2020 8:27 PM August 20, 2020 in News
Source: WBRZ

ZACHARY - Authorities are frustrated after a man with an extensive criminal past allegedly murdered his girlfriend while out on bond.

Police Chief David McDavid says 36-year old Brandon Phillips was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 19, for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death

Phillips allegedly killed the same woman that he previously attacked on July 20, 2020, which is why he was initially on bond. He was charged with felony domestic abuse battery with strangulation.

Chief McDavid discussed Phillips' recent arrest with WBRZ's Earl Phelps Thursday afternoon, listing several past arrests.

"Domestic violence cases, peeping toms, battery on a corrections officer, a couple of attempted murder cases," Chief McDavid said.

The latest charge against him is a count of second-degree murder after his live-in girlfriend, 39-year-old Bridgette Seals, was stabbed to death.

Seals was found dead Wednesday morning at the couple's home in Zachary.

Chief McDavid says the criminal justice system is problematic as violent criminals are being released back onto the streets.

"We keep letting the same people out they keep committing crime after crime after crime," Chief McDavid said. "This is a very violent case. The victim had multiple stab wounds."

Phillips was arrested in June on a domestic abuse charge involving the same woman. The chief says Phillips' bond, in that case, was drastically reduced.

"We looked at the files and we saw where he had a bond for $7,500 and then all of a sudden, it appears to be, somebody might have whited out two zeros and he got out of jail for $750," McDavid said.

The district attorney's office says the judge in the June domestic battery case reduced Phillips' bond so he could get treatment at a local counseling center.

"When he got bonded out on the $750, he was supposed to go to Capital Area Human Services. Did he go? We don't know," Chief McDavid said.

While investigating the deadly stabbing Wednesday, police found synthetic marijuana, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine at the couples' shared residence.

Phillips was arrested for second-degree murder and drug-related charges. He is in jail with a bond that is set at $663,000.

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