Man tried twice for allegedly setting victim on fire to face grand jury for another killing
Published 6:29 am Thursday, February 21, 2019
A man accused of killing women in Louisiana and Mississippi is back in northeast Louisiana, where a prosecutor says a grand jury will consider charges in a Taiwanese woman’s stabbing death in 2015.
Quinton Tellis, 30, pleaded guilty in 2016 to unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to Ming-Chen Hsiao, who had graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe shortly before she was stabbed to death.
Tellis completed that 10-year sentence Monday, with time reduced for good behavior in prison. He was arrested on a murder charge and moved Tuesday to the Ouachita Parish Jail, The News-Star reported .
A grand jury will be convened to consider charges against him, District Attorney Steve Tew said.
A search warrant, filed Jan. 24 in 4th Judicial District Court, asks for all records connected to Hsiao’s checking and savings account, including precise information about purchases, ATM usage and telephone inquiries, saying it’s needed for a homicide case against Tellis, the newspaper reported. The access number request is highlighted.
“Investigators are seeking complete banking records related (to) Hsiao’s Chase Bank accounts and her Chase debit card PIN to further the homicide investigation in preparation for trial,” the warrant states.
Detectives believe Hsiao died between 5:22 p.m. and 8:16 p.m. on July 29, 2015, the newspaper reported.
According to the warrant, Hsiao’s phone dialed the Chase Bank number on the back of her debit card twice at 8:16 p.m., hanging up each time before the call was answered.
At 8:16 and 8:18 p.m., Tellis’ phone dialed the same number, and the debit card number and PIN were entered, according to the warrant.
Tellis’ guilty plea admitted using the card Aug. 18-19 without Hsiao’s permission.
He has been tried twice in Mississippi on charges that he set 19-year-old Jessica Chambers on fire and left her to die. However, neither jury could reach a verdict, resulting in mistrials.