COVINGTON, La. (BRPROUD) – Rudy Emanuel Melerine, 38 of Folsom, was found guilty of two counts of attempted first-degree murder in October of 2021.

On Thursday, February 17, Melerine “was sentenced by District Judge John Keller to 30 years at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole, and suspension of sentence,” according to the 22nd JDC District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s Office.

The charges and sentence stem from an attempt by Melerine to beat his parents to death with a hammer.

At the trial, the suspect’s mother testified that “She was awoken by what she described as sounding like “a hammer smashing a coconut,” according to the 22nd JDC District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s Office.

The incident which led to this conviction took place on June 20, 2017.

On that date, deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Folsom.

The mother of Rudy Melerine was found bleeding in the driveway.

Deputies entered a bedroom in the home and found Melerine on top of his father.

“The victim was face down trying to prevent Melerine from grabbing the hammer that he’d wrestled out of his son’s hands,” according to the 22nd JDC District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s Office.

Rudy Melerine was taken into custody and the injured parents were taken to a hospital.

Melerine’s mother and father sustained “multiple injuries to the head and face.”

Rudy Melerine is currently in the St. Tammany Parish Jail.