WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Estranged husband of slain Baton Rouge defense attorney arrested on domestic abuse charge

Estranged husband of slain Baton Rouge defense attorney arrested on domestic abuse charge

BATON ROUGE, La (WAFB) - Baton Rouge police have arrested the estranged husband of slain defense attorney Chiquita Tate on an outstanding domestic abuse warrant.

Police say Greg Harris was taken to police head quarters Friday for questioning about Tate's murder and, during the course of the investigation, they discovered that he was wanted in Baker for battery. 

Chiquita Tate was found dead in her office on Third Street sometime before 6am Friday.  

Tate, 34, was stabbed more than a dozen times, a source close to the investigation says.

Tate's estranged husband found the body Friday morning after he reported that she did not return from work Thursday evening, family members say.

Colleagues say the attorney and her husband were having marital problems and were not living together.

Witnesses say both her Mercedes and her estranged husband's Hummer were towed from the parking lot just around 9:00am.

"The initial investigation revealed that some unknown person or persons entered the private suite that housed Ms. Tate's law office and committed the crime," Baton Rouge Police said in a news release.

"Initial indications are that this is an isolated incident committed by someone with the intent to murder Ms. Tate," the release said.  "Police also believe there is no concern that this person(s) pose a threat to other workers or patrons of the downtown area."

Tate was preparing to begin a murder trial.  Jury selection was set to begin Monday.

As of 2:45pm Friday, no arrests had been made in the case.