Leesville Chief of Police Bobby Hickman announced yesterday that enough evidence had been compiled to link Randall Batchelor to the murder of Leesville business woman Lydia Douglass. 
Douglass was killed in her Powell Drive home in the early morning hours of Feb. 19 while her daughter, Christy Douglass, and another juvenile relative were in the house with her. Neither Christy nor the juvenile have provided conclusive eye witness testimony in the case. But Lydia, herself, has.
"Based on cell phone records reviewed and DNA?evidence investigators have determined that Randall Batchelor was at the scene and involved in the dispute that resulted in the death of Lydia Douglass," Hickman said.
"If he were alive, there would be enough evidence to bring him to trial."
Preliminary reports indicate that DNA found on Douglass' body belonged to Batchelor, he added. The DNA came from body tissue found on the victim. There was no evidence of sexual assault.
The police have found no physical evidence of second perpetrator, though they have not closed that door entirely, Hickman said.
In addition, besides making calls to Christy Douglass' cell phone on the night of the murder, Batchelor also made calls to Lydia's phone that night, the chief said, though he could not say what time those calls occurred.
The crime lab is still combing through evidence collected at the scene, and Hickman expects more information to be forthcoming in the next few weeks, he said.
In mid-May state police investigated the scene of the murder at the invitation of Hickman who said he wanted to make sure that his department had followed all leads. Hickman offered his thanks to the state police whose investigation so far has run parallel to the LPD's, he said. 
Douglass, co-owner of a the popular Las Margaritas in Leesville, died of multiple stab wounds in her home.
Batchelor, boyfriend of Douglass' daughter Christy, has been a prime suspect in the case from the beginning. Batchelor committed suicide in his mother's home in Carlyss on Feb. 25 as police approached the residence to question him.
"At midnight I heard Christy outside cursing and yelling," said Douglass' next door neighbor James Collins of the incident. "At 2:10 I got a knock on my door and heard 'It's Christy. I need your help James.'"
When Collins came outside a few moments later and stood at the edge of his porch, he saw Christy approaching again, this time on the phone.
She had called 911, he said.
"I think my mother's dead," Collins said Christy told him. "I thought she meant a heart attack or something because of the way she said it. She sounded unsure.
"As I walked through the door, Christy pointed, and I walked around the corner and froze. There was so much blood." Douglass lay just inside her bedroom. Collins was shocked, he said.
"I didn't know what to tell (Christy)," he said. "I couldn't even tell her. It was a horrible sight."
At that point, Christy gave the phone to Collins who spoke with the 911 operator. As he turned to leave the house, officers from the Leesville Police Department were just arriving.
Collins, who had met Batchelor, was taken by surprise by the whole event, he said.
Collins does not remember hearing a car outside other than those driven by the Douglass family, he said.
Batchelor had been a guest in Collins house at least once, the neighbor said. In fact, he had even popped firecrackers with Collins' children outside.