Louisiana man accused in Loranger murders enters plea, state seeking death penalty
By Erin Lowrey, Shay O’Connor
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TANGIPAHOA PARISH, Louisiana (WDSU) — A Louisiana man who has been indicted federally and separately in two states in connection with the murder of a Loranger mother and her child entered a plea in court Monday.
Daniel Callihan was in court Monday in Tangipahoa Parish for an arraignment hearing for the criminal case he is facing in the parish.
Callihan pleaded not guilty to charges of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, one count of second-degree kidnapping.
The state also announced in court Monday that they will be seeking the death penalty in the case.
This comes after he was indicted in Mississippi for capital murder, kidnapping and sexual battery in connection with the same case.
Back in June, Callihan was federally charged with kidnapping that resulted in death and transporting across state lines in connection with the kidnapping of Callie Brunett’s children, Erin and Jalie.
The maximum penalty for the federal kidnapping charge is life imprisonment or death. The mandatory minimum for the transporting across state lines charge is 10 years in prison, while the maximum is life imprisonment.
His lawyer, Kerry Cuccia, who is representing him on the charges in Tangipahoa Parish, has also been assigned by the federal public defender’s office to represent Callihan on his federal charges.
Callihan is accused of killing Callie Brunett and her daughter Erin in June.
Documents showed Callihan confessed to the murders along with his intention to keep the oldest child as a sex slave.
Accused accomplice Victoria Cox was also indicted in Mississippi on capital murder, kidnapping and sexual battery charges.
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