Shooting suspect claims he shot landlord to protect wife

A man told police he fatally shot his landlord last week because the landlord was attempting to beat up his wife.

Antoine Cloutier, 44, is being held without bail after he was arrested Saturday on a murder charge.

Cloutier is accused of shooting his landlord, Rafael Ampier Jr., 44, while in the garage of a home at on Montcliff Avenue, near Rainbow Boulevard and Twain Avenue, according to an arrest report from the Metropolitan Police Department released Monday.

Officers were initially called at 9:15 p.m. Friday to the home after a report of a shooting and found Ampier suffering from a gunshot wound. He died at University Medical Center shortly after.

Investigators spoke to witnesses, including Cloutier’s wife, who said Ampier was kicking them out, according to the arrest report. While she, Cloutier and their daughter sat in the garage talking about where to live, the woman said Ampier began arguing with her.

Cloutier told police Ampier slammed his head into the ground and started to attack his wife so he shot the man.

Cloutier left the home and was found about seven hours later in an abandoned car a mile and a half from the scene, according to the arrest report.

He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Sept. 28, according to court records.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Jonah Dyland contributed to this repot.