Woman ordered held for attempted murder
Blanche Lofton asked for release from jail after her husband, whom she allegedly shot at, dies of natural causes
Blanche Lofton
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN Editor
A Louisiana woman, who came to Wakulla County to ask her husband for help and then shot at him a couple of times, appeared in court last week to ask a judge to release her since her ex-husband has died of natural causes.
The woman, Blanche Lofton, 52, appeared by Zoom before Wakulla Circuit Judge J. Layne Smith in a motion hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Judge Smith ordered Lofton to remain in jail without bond on attempted murder charges. The alleged victim, 57-year-old Victor Lovett, died on Oct. 22.
Wakulla Chief Prosecutor Brian Miller, who was elected the night before as the new county judge, admitted to the court that there are problems with the prosecution of Lofton for attempted murder since the victim has died. Miller told the court that he needed time to determine if other witnesses, such as deputies who responded to the call, and excited utterances made by Lofton when she was interviewed by deputies and reportedly admitted shooting at him, will allow the prosecution to move forward.
Meanwhile, Lofton’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Matt Ream, told the court he intends to file a Stand Your Ground motion to claim that she was justified in shooting at Lovett because he had rammed his truck into her SUV and was pushing it towards her as she stood outside the vehicle.
Judge Smith urged Ream to file the motion as soon as possible and a hearing was tentatively set for Dec. 7.
At the hearing last week, Ream asked the court to consider releasing Lofton on her own recognizance and allow her to return to Louisiana with her mother and sister, who were in the courtroom.
Miller argued that Lofton had no ties to the community and thus had no reason to return to Wakulla to face charges. He asked the court to hold her without bond or to set a high bond of $100,000 to $250,000 to ensure her return. Lofton could be heard on the Zoom link responding to Miller’s arguments, saying “I will be back.”
Judge Smith noted that Judge Ron Flury, who held the Wakulla circuit assignment back in June, held a hearing to determine that Lofton should be held without bond. Judge Smith said he gave weight to Judge Flury’s decision. “Please, I want to go home,” Lofton begged tearfully. “I want to pick up my husband and I want to go home.”
She could be heard sobbing when her pleas were turned down. Back in April, Lofton drove from Baton Rouge and confronted her husband at some property he was working off Summerwind Circle and Woodville Highway.
According to the arrest report, Lovett and Lofton had been separated for several months, and he had moved to Florida and bought property in the area with plans to live there. He had filed for divorce against Lofton in Louisiana. He told deputies that “Lofton has been texting and calling him in an attempt to manipulate him into giving her money.” He said he rarely responded to her texts, which a deputy confirmed by looking at the thread.
Before driving to his property, Lofton had texted Lovett that she was in Tallahassee at an area motel and asked him to come see her. He refused. Lofton then drove to Lovett’s property. He had a log blocking the driveway, and she drove her Lincoln SUV over the log. Seeing her approach, Lovett said he got in his F350 dually truck to leave and she blocked him. He asked her to move her vehicle, but she refused, so he put his truck in gear with the intention of pushing her SUV out of the way.
“Lofton began cussing at Lovett and went into her vehicle and retrieved a silver and black handgun and fired it at Lovett as he was sitting in his truck,” according to the arrest report. She was allegedly saying to him, “Mother-(expletive), I will kill you!”
He had to duck below the dashboard to avoid being shot.
Lovett said he had a firearm in the truck, but didn’t want to use it against her.
As he was moving the log to leave the property, she reportedly kept the gun aimed at him and demanded to see his cell phone to check for phone calls and text messages from other women.
“While being held at gunpoint,” the report states, “he showed Lofton his phone.”
She got back in her car after that, and Lovett got a tow strap on the log and, using his truck, pulled it away while he used his phone to call 911.
When deputies arrived, they saw two bullet holes in the truck’s windshield. A partial projectile was located in the window frame.
She was located in her SUV on Summerwind Circle driving towards Woodville Highway. A deputy pulled in front of the vehicle to block it and ordered her to exit the vehicle with her hands up.
As she exited the vehicle with her hands raised, she allegedly told the deputy: “I don’t have it on me; it’s in the car. He tried to ram me!”
After being given a Miranda warning, she told deputies that she got her 9mm after Lovett struck her vehicle with his truck, and allegedly admitted to firing several shots.
Deputies found the handgun on the passenger seat under a pillow. Two shell casings were also found in the car.
An odor of alcohol was detected on her, and deputies found a Bud Light Platinum in the center console.
Deputies also found several glass pipes and other drug paraphernalia. Lofton faces charges of attempted murder, false imprisonment, discharging a weapon in public, and possession of narcotic equipment.
At her hearing in June, prosecutors revealed her criminal history includes convictions for domestic violence and DUI.