A man with an extensive arrest record is accused of murdering a 29-year-old Lockport woman and her two daughters, ages 7 and 1.  Thirty-four-year-old David Brown is also charged with aggravated rape, aggravated arson and attempted murder.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's office says Brown broke into the apartment November 4, 2012, and made his way to a bedroom and proceeded to sexually assault two of the victims before stabbing Jacquelin Nieves to death along with her two young daughters, Gabriela (7) and Izabela (20 months).

Investigators say Brown then set the apartment on fire and fled the scene.  Because Jacquelin Nieves' husband, Carlos Nieves, was asleep in the downstairs portion of the apartment when it was set on fire, Brown is also charged with attempted murder.

The sheriff's office says detectives recovered a murder weapon.  Officials say investigators also recovered DNA evidence from the crime scene that matches Brown's DNA.

Authorities didn't have to search far to find Brown.  He was arrested the day of the murder, but for a separate incident that happened before the killings.  Because Brown was out on probation at that time, he has been ineligible for release from jail.

According to the sheriff's office, Brown's criminal history dates back to 1994, having been arrested 28 times on charges ranging from attempted murder and aggravated assault to burglary, theft and other charges.  An attempted second degree murder charge from 1996 was reduced to aggravated battery with a guilty plea.

Brown also has convictions in Texas for DWI, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury and simple burglary, said sheriff's officials.