Husband Sues Louisiana Firm in Wife’s Shooting Death

The husband of a Baton Rouge construction company worker shot to death at the business Dec. 23 claims the firm ignored a threat that the alleged shooter made when he was fired.

James Coutee, whose wife Dianna Tullier was a clerical worker at Grady Crawford Construction Co., is seeking damages from the firm in a lawsuit filed in state district court in Baton Rouge.

The suit contends Richard Matthews informed the company “that it had not heard the last of him” when he was fired prior to the shootings.

“We feel like the guy threatened them. They should have taken some action at that point,” Coutee’s attorney, Denise Vinet, said.

“There should have been some type of security posted at that company,” Vinet added. “When he said it, he was very angry.”

Grady Crawford officials did not respond to a message left by The Advocate at the company’s administration office.

Tullier, 44, of Walker, and fellow clerical worker Cheryl D. Boykin, 55, of Denham Springs, both were fatally wounded during the workplace shooting.

Matthews, 53, of Slaughter, is accused of killing both women and wounding a female dispatcher at Grady Crawford.

Matthews was fired several months before the shootings because of poor work performance, an affidavit of probable cause states.

Matthews is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder. East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if Matthews is convicted of first-degree murder.

Matthews has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Matthews had worked as a laborer for Grady Crawford for five years.

Information from: The Advocate