Topline: Father gets 92 years in prison for drowning infant son in liquid laundry soap and trying to murder his wife.
Published: July 3, 2025 3:30 pm ET
Must Read
Eliazard Moneus, left, and his son, Jacob. (via Lafayette Police Department; Indiana State Police)
LAFAYETTE, IN — Eliasard Moneus, a 29-year-old Haitian immigrant, received a 92-year prison sentence on Tuesday, July 1, for the murder of his 3-month-old son, Jacob, and the attempted murder of his wife, Edlie.
Judge Steve Meyer delivered the sentence at Tippecanoe Superior 2, concluding nearly 11 months of legal proceedings that began on August 10. Moneus drowned his son by placing him face down in a bucket of liquid laundry detergent. He then attacked the child’s mother with a tire iron, according to the Lafayette Journal & Courier.
Tippecanoe County Deputy Prosecutor Elyse Madigan stated Moneus wanted to teach his wife “a lesson.” Madigan said he showed no remorse for his actions and told his wife he “didn’t care what the consequences were.”
Judge Meyer sentenced Moneus to 62 years for murder and 30 years for attempted murder. The sentences run consecutively. Moneus must serve at least 75% of the 92-year sentence, which is 69 years. He has already served over a year in pretrial detention. Moneus will be 97 years old when he finishes his sentence. He does not intend to appeal the sentence.
A French Creole interpreter read Moneus’s written statement to the court before sentencing. In his statement, Moneus apologized to the community. He stated that he left Haiti for a better life and wouldn’t have come to the United States if he had known about the problems he would face. He expressed remorse, pain, and stress that will remain with him.
Judge Meyer reduced the murder sentence by three years from the maximum 65 years because Moneus pleaded guilty. This spared the victim, police officers, and the community from seeing photos of Jacob’s death.
Meyer called the crime “one of the most grotesque” he had ever seen, noting that Moneus killed his own child.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Judge Hands Down 92-Year Sentence in Laundry Detergent Murder
Father gets 92 years in prison for drowning infant son in liquid laundry soap and trying to murder his wife.
By Kate Byrd
Published: July 3, 2025 3:30 pm ET
Eliazard Moneus, left, and his son, Jacob. (via Lafayette Police Department; Indiana State Police)
LAFAYETTE, IN — Eliasard Moneus, a 29-year-old Haitian immigrant, received a 92-year prison sentence on Tuesday, July 1, for the murder of his 3-month-old son, Jacob, and the attempted murder of his wife, Edlie.
Judge Steve Meyer delivered the sentence at Tippecanoe Superior 2, concluding nearly 11 months of legal proceedings that began on August 10. Moneus drowned his son by placing him face down in a bucket of liquid laundry detergent. He then attacked the child’s mother with a tire iron, according to the Lafayette Journal & Courier.
Tippecanoe County Deputy Prosecutor Elyse Madigan stated Moneus wanted to teach his wife “a lesson.” Madigan said he showed no remorse for his actions and told his wife he “didn’t care what the consequences were.”
Judge Meyer sentenced Moneus to 62 years for murder and 30 years for attempted murder. The sentences run consecutively. Moneus must serve at least 75% of the 92-year sentence, which is 69 years. He has already served over a year in pretrial detention. Moneus will be 97 years old when he finishes his sentence. He does not intend to appeal the sentence.
A French Creole interpreter read Moneus’s written statement to the court before sentencing. In his statement, Moneus apologized to the community. He stated that he left Haiti for a better life and wouldn’t have come to the United States if he had known about the problems he would face. He expressed remorse, pain, and stress that will remain with him.
Judge Meyer reduced the murder sentence by three years from the maximum 65 years because Moneus pleaded guilty. This spared the victim, police officers, and the community from seeing photos of Jacob’s death.
Meyer called the crime “one of the most grotesque” he had ever seen, noting that Moneus killed his own child.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Judge Hands Down 92-Year Sentence in Laundry Detergent Murder
Father gets 92 years in prison for drowning infant son in liquid laundry soap and trying to murder his wife.
By Kate Byrd
Published: July 3, 2025 3:30 pm ET
Eliazard Moneus, left, and his son, Jacob. (via Lafayette Police Department; Indiana State Police)
LAFAYETTE, IN — Eliasard Moneus, a 29-year-old Haitian immigrant, received a 92-year prison sentence on Tuesday, July 1, for the murder of his 3-month-old son, Jacob, and the attempted murder of his wife, Edlie.
Judge Steve Meyer delivered the sentence at Tippecanoe Superior 2, concluding nearly 11 months of legal proceedings that began on August 10. Moneus drowned his son by placing him face down in a bucket of liquid laundry detergent. He then attacked the child’s mother with a tire iron, according to the Lafayette Journal & Courier.
Tippecanoe County Deputy Prosecutor Elyse Madigan stated Moneus wanted to teach his wife “a lesson.” Madigan said he showed no remorse for his actions and told his wife he “didn’t care what the consequences were.”
Judge Meyer sentenced Moneus to 62 years for murder and 30 years for attempted murder. The sentences run consecutively. Moneus must serve at least 75% of the 92-year sentence, which is 69 years. He has already served over a year in pretrial detention. Moneus will be 97 years old when he finishes his sentence. He does not intend to appeal the sentence.
A French Creole interpreter read Moneus’s written statement to the court before sentencing. In his statement, Moneus apologized to the community. He stated that he left Haiti for a better life and wouldn’t have come to the United States if he had known about the problems he would face. He expressed remorse, pain, and stress that will remain with him.
Judge Meyer reduced the murder sentence by three years from the maximum 65 years because Moneus pleaded guilty. This spared the victim, police officers, and the community from seeing photos of Jacob’s death.
Meyer called the crime “one of the most grotesque” he had ever seen, noting that Moneus killed his own child.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
