Kadarrian Johnson, 15, of Prentiss has been charged with murder. But the book deal came three to four months before Ferguson and and Eric Garner, and I believe that none of these issues were on the table in any real way pre-Black Lives Matter. The show is based on investigative journalist Ethan Brown's 2016 book 'Murder in the Bayou: Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8?'. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), [2], Kristen Lopez, one of the victims, was present when police shot and killed a drug dealer named Leonard Crochet in 2005 along with several individuals connected to the Jeff Davis 8 case, including Alvin "Bootsy" Lewis, who fathered a child with victim Whitnei Dubois and is also the brother in law of the first victim, Loretta Chaisson Lewis. 8) Jerry Ray Davidson: Forty-three year old Virginia Jackson was found naked and mutilated in Dickson County in 1995. But he also got less than ideal attention. Despite the fact that Richards' path crisscrossed with the police and all eight victims, he managed to remain free for many years after the murders. Brown drove to the crime scene Deshotel had been shot to death in his home and found it in chaos: Not only had the police not secured the scene or created a perimeter, but people were wandering in and out of the house, sometimes taking items with them. All of them were from South Jennings, the poor side of town, and knew each other. Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime) Jefferson Davis County violent crime is 25.4. New Jeans, Rina Sawayama, Saweetie Among Gold House A100 Honorees, 'Redfall' is a Decent Looter Shooter With an Identity Crisis, Right-Wing Media and Anti-Trans Groups Welcome Kiss' Paul Stanley to the Cause, Inside the Big Battle to Save One Small TV Show, CIA Director, Noam Chomsky Named in Epstein's Private Calendar: Report, Newsmax Accuses Murdochs of Designing a New-World-Order Globalist Kill List Against Tucker Carlson, DeSantis' Disney Board Will Countersue the Mouse. Advertisement Around 6:30 p.m. Sunday night, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the 300 block of 20th Avenue NE to conduct a welfare check. The fact that he had been able to walk scot-free so many times definitely raised a lot of eyebrows about the nature of his relationship with the police. Which was problematic, because I had to speak to a number of people in the parish. For a long time after the sheriffs note was published, Brown would meet witnesses and refuse to get out of his car, instead driving them outside the parish to conduct interviews. eventAction: 'load' He also denied that Boustany was aware of Guillorys stake in the inn. According to investigative journalist Ethan Brown, Richards was known to all eight of the victims and had often partied or done drugs with the girls. let gads_event; 601-792-5169. Mississippi Skies: How long will the great weather last? But it doesnt change the facts on the ground in a place like that.. The Showtime docuseries Murder in the Bayou has raised a lot of questions about how the murders of eight women in Jefferson Davis Parish, La. Soon afterward, he was out of a job. A January 2010 New York Times article reported on the fear and frustration felt by family members of the slain women, as well as the missteps of local law enforcement in charge of solving the crimes. Most of the bodies were found in such a state of decomposition as to make the actual cause of death difficult to determine. The victims who have become known as "The Jennings 8" or "The Jeff Davis 8" were all different, but they were also deeply connected in various ways. 56) Worst Crimes Ever (Ep. "The Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's Office, along with the U. S. Marshals Task Force, is taking every step necessary to locate Loftin and he will be brought to justice," said JDC Sheriff's Investigator John Wayne Tolar Reynolds opened fire and killed Colbert Sheriff Charles Gassaway, his brother, Deputy William Gassaway, Deputy Jesse Davis, Deputy James Payne, Deputy Pat A. Prout, Deputy Bob Wallace and Hugh. They interviewed more than 100 people. Despite the numerous allegations, Barry sat for only one interview with the task force before his death in 2010. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. April 15: Marsiah Emmanuel "Siah" Collins, 19, was killed in the same incident. Also injured by gunfire was a juvenile, who was airlifted to UMMC in Jackson. }); Four people were in a vehicle when shots were fired, hitting two of the individuals, JDCSO said. Alexander broke into the victims' home and waited for two hours before the victims arrived, when he then shot them. Davis, 24, was found dead on Highway 84 at Lucas Nov. 14 in what was originally thought to be a hit-and-run. According to authorities, an unidentified Walmart truck driver traveling toward Prentiss initially called 911 to report a young black male trying to flag down traffic in the eastbound median of Highway 84. Investigators are planning to speak with other possible people of interest in the case to see if more arrests are possible. }) (The US average is 22.7) Jefferson Davis County property crime is 49.4. [1][2] Between 2005 and 2009, the bodies of eight women were found in swamps and canals surrounding Jennings, Louisiana. JEFFERSON DAVIS COUNTY, Miss. If you have any information regarding these crimes, please call the Jefferson Davis County Sheriffs Office at 601-792-5169 or Metro Crime Stoppers. The bodies had been dumped in canals or on the side of the road in and around Jennings. JDCSO said the shooting caused the driver of the vehicle to swerve off the road. In December 2007, two inmates told Jennings Sergeant Jesse Ewing on tape what they knew about the truck from the Lopez case being sold to the investigator and scrubbed clean of evidence. Jeff Davis 8: The True Story of the 'Murder in the Bayou' Killings Eight women were mysteriously murdered in Jennings, Louisiana from 2005-2009 and as the investigation progressed, the small. [1] Law enforcement's own witnesses have connected Richard to the Sheriff's Office. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { JENNINGS, LA Between 2005 and 2009, the bodies of eight local women were found in or around the small town of Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. When asked what justice would look like in this case, he shrugs off things like a Department of Justice intervention, which he says would produce very little actual change. Instead, he points to street-level flaws. Last July, we told you about the decision by prosecutors at the Denver DA's office to, Become a member to support the independent voice of Denver According to family and friends of the victims, many of the girls had served as police informants and had seemed scared or anxious before they died. We hurt that someone took our only sons life., It is going to be three years in December and we have no answers., What can yall do to help the sheriffs department. After escaping from prison, Bell murdered a convenience store clerk in Broomfield, and later shot and killed three men in Lefthand Canyon in Boulder. On March 18, 2007, a third victim with a similar profile to the others, 21-year-old Kristen Gary Lopez, was found in yet another canal. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Even more alarming, one member of the sherriff's office, David Barry, was fingered as a murder suspect by multiple witnesses. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ According to the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's Office, 20-year-old Sierra Inscoe was denied bond during her initial court appearance Wednesday for the murder of 24-year-old Carson. According to Browns book, what the evidence started pointing to was not a serial killer evading capture but a steady escalation of blatant misconduct by law enforcement. Families and friends of the victims have also commented on the silence from the police and their slow attitude towards the case. Later that day, speaking with some former police officers, Brown recounted his experience. Eight women were mysteriously murdered in Jennings, Louisiana from 2005-2009 and as the investigation progressed, the small town's dark secrets began to unravel. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { pg.acq.push(function() { I was floored, he says. Law enforcement failed to make any arrests and barely had a list of suspects. We hurt. 13 North on Feb. 12, 2018. eventAction: 'render' [3] Some were related by blood (such as cousins Kristen Gary Lopez and Brittney Gary) or lived together (Gary lived with Crystal Benoit shortly before her death). Despite the large body count, the evidence collected was close to none. Where Is Acquitted Murderer Candy Montgomery Now? The September 2016 release of Murder in the Bayou: Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8? JEFFERSON DAVIS COUNTY, Miss. [2], Brown's investigative work reveals many tangled connections between victims, suspects, and the police. That fall, Sheriff Edwards publicly acknowledged for the first time that the deaths were possibly the work of a "common offender," and the task force more than doubled the reward for information leading to the killer of what became known as the Jeff Davis 8. Parents of Stephen Abram spoke with the Jefferson Davis County Board of Supervisors at its meeting Monday concerned over unsolved murders in the county. Their heightened security was not enough to prevent yet another murder, taking the body count to eight when 26-year-old Necole Guillory was spotted off I-10. Brown got a book deal and got to work quickly on fleshing the investigation out. 2) Murder She Spoke (Ep. As a result, Richards was arrested but over time the evidence against him slowly started to disappear from the police department and Richards was out again after his charges were dropped. None of them had been able to count on the police for protection. Again, two suspects were arrested Jennings pimp Frankie Richard and his niece Hannah Conner but were released due to lack of conclusive evidence. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), I stayed out of Jefferson Davis Parish for months, he says. Throughout the years hed been investigating the case, Brown had been told that the Boudreaux Inn the former motel where some of the denizens of Jennings underworld, including the Jeff Davis 8, regularly went to take drugs and have sex was operated by people who were in politics, he says, though he never got a name. Lopez. Though the article wasnt particularly long, it detailed the inability of Jefferson Davis law enforcement to get any leads on the case that had so far seen eight deaths not negligible, especially in a town of only 10,000 residents. [1] [2] Between 2005 and 2009, the bodies of eight women were found in swamps and canals surrounding Jennings, Louisiana. were handled by local law enforcement with some in the town even thinking local sheriffs were involved. Further digging revealed multiple witnesses who alleged that Boustany was not only present at the Boudreaux Inn on multiple occasions, but was a client of at least three of the victims. Tucker Carlson Bashes Fox Nation in Leaked Video, Obviously I wrote the Medium piece years ago, and researched it years and years ago, says Brown. hitType: 'event', JDCSO investigators said that the shooting occurred around 7 p.m. Friday on Mississippi 42 between Carson and Prentiss. March 29: Walterius Jamal Barnes, 21, died at UAB Hospital from wounds suffered when he was shot multiple times from another car while he was driving, and crashed into a house on the 2900 block of Fairfax Avenue. 1. pg.acq.push(function() { [2] However, the sergeant who took the statements was forced out of his job, and the allegations were ignored by law enforcement. [2] Brown's work has revealed that there are multiple suspects in the Jeff Davis 8 case and that therefore it is unlikely that this is a serial killer case; furthermore, Brown has revealed that law enforcement's own witnesses have named members of local law enforcement as suspects in the case. 56 total Bessemer. Showtime's five-part series titled 'Murder in the Bayou' looks deeply into the case and highlights the negligence, harmful environment, and lack of police involvement that surrounds the untimely deaths of these women. Through extensive interviews with families, suspects and taskforce personnel, and careful examination of public records, Brown uncovered evidence that pointed him away from the serial killer theory and toward a more complex cover-up orchestrated by authorities. Edna Brister was found dead outside her burned home on Hwy. Karol-Chik told investigators with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office that he and Koenig had thrown rocks and even a statue at passing cars on at least 10 other days before Bartell was. }); Jennings, Louisiana, is a rather quiet space and the parish seat of Jefferson Davis. Anaya, Steven. Nashville woman denied bond in Jefferson Davis Co. murder investigation, HPD seeks public help locating two suspects in ongoing investigations, Police seeking man wanted in connection to 2 commercial burglaries in Hattiesburg, Jones County volunteer fire department units deploy twice Sunday. In one instance, the Times noted, the chief investigator bought a pickup truck from an inmate known to be friends with one of the victims. They were doomed by their own social status, by the inescapability of their poverty, and because the people who were supposed to protect them, at best, didnt give a shit about them. Another point to be noted is the drug epidemic in the city given its location off a major highway. August, 1990. Just two days later, authorities found 25-year-old Ashley Oatis shot to death after a drive-by shooting on Valentines Day. Meanwhile, the saga had expanded past the realm of local coverage and into the national media. If you have any information regarding Loftin, please contact the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's Office at 601-792-5169. April 15: Philstavious Dowdell, 18, was killed in the same incident. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0ef6dd7e3c8296 With a lack of evidence, a narrow list of suspects, the heavy involvement of the police in prostitution and drugs, the Jeff Davis 8 case looks to be more the work of a complex cover-up than the work of a serial killer. Its got some magical realism to it, with the power to represent the dark and unknowable and maybe a little sinister parts of our country. According to a press release from the Jefferson City Police Department, 35-year-old Damien L. Davis has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and . Unsolved MURDERS of Jefferson Davis 8. [2] However, the sheriff's office did not test the alleged crime scene until 15 months after Patterson's murder, and found it "failed to demonstrate the presence of blood."[2]. The residents of Jennings explained that the north side of Jennings is full of the privileged and rich while the south side is known for poverty, prostitution, and drugs. These women werent doomed because they were in a dangerous milieu. There were allegations that officers had sex with the women who later became Jeff Davis 8 victims, and the task force was, Brown writes, a near case study in conflict of interest. There was also evidence in the Jeff Davis 8 cases including the truck where one of the victims had her throat slashed that was seemingly tampered with or was removed from the parish entirely. The one common link between the victims was that they were all somehow involved in the sex trade and had difficulties with drug abuse. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Jefferson Davis County Sheriffs office at (601) 792-5169. [1][2], Author and investigative reporter Ethan Brown has revealed how police investigations have been plagued by missteps in the sheriff's office, contributing to lost or missing evidence. A raid of Richards' home in 2009 found weapons, cash, and drugs in his possession. According to the Jefferson Davis County Sheriffs Office, 20-year-old Sierra Inscoe was denied bond during her initial court appearance Wednesday for the murder of 24-year-old Carson Sistrunk. Bell eventually pleaded guilty to all four murders and was sentenced to LWOP. Obviously these women were murder victims individual people killed them, says Brown. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation also is investigating. [4][6] Family members of the victims suspect the police are actually responsible for the deaths. ga('ads.send', { While reassuring to some, the beefed-up scrutiny wasn't enough to prevent an eighth death in August 2009, 26-year-old Necole Guillory was spotted off I-10 in nearby Acadia Parish or provide any new answers. 1 dead, 1 injured in Jefferson Davis County shooting, One dead, one wounded Friday night in Jefferson Davis County shooting, HPD seeks public help locating two suspects in ongoing investigations, Police seeking man wanted in connection to 2 commercial burglaries in Hattiesburg, Jones County volunteer fire department units deploy twice Sunday. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. Most were decomposed and displayed virtually no sign of trauma, their deaths believed to be the result of asphyxia. The murder occurred after Gus agreed to testify in court about the Taylor brothers' dishonest money-making schemes. [2][6] Most of the victims knew each other well. Where do I rest my head today? Address. }); The rate of murder in Jefferson Davis County is 0.03 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. Between 2005 and 2009, eight women from. fleshed out the reporting featured in his Medium article and delivered a new bombshell: A field representative for Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany owned a notoriously seedy Jennings hotel where Boustany allegedly had sex with three of the victims. The community of Jennings lost faith in the police who were anything but helpful or effective in their search to find the killer. You can take that however you want to," Brown was leery to return to Jennings to complete his interviews for months afterward. Strickland said Sistrunk had been shot. All Rights Reserved. He was either in a wheelchair or on crutches, and he made an impression just because he had been shot and he was kind of a mess, Brown tells Rolling Stone. Jefferson Davis Co Jail is for County Jail offenders sentenced up to twenty four months. 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Residents have gone as far as to accuse the police to be involved in benefitting from the drugs and the chaotic environment. Phone. [3][4] Other victims were Ernestine Marie Daniels Patterson, 30; Kristen Gary Lopez, 21; Whitnei Dubois, 26; Laconia "Muggy" Brown, 23; Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno, 24; and Brittney Gary, 17. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. When the body of victim number one, 28-year-old Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis, showed up in 2005, her death was associated with her drug habits and a possible fallout in the trade. Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's Deputies have arrested and charged one with murder in the death of Jarriyon Davis. 'Stop it!' All the bodies had been found in canals or off the highway. }); [2], Police have arrested or issued warrants for the arrest of four people in connection with the case. They tracked down more than 1,000 leads, but came up empty. As Brown pointed out, Richards had multiple allegations made against him and had been arrested around 23 times but was never convicted for any of his crimes. We want to hear it. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. [2] A grand jury investigated the shooting and determined there was no probable cause for a charge of negligent homicide against police even though a Louisiana State Police investigation into the Crochet shooting concluded that he was unarmed when he was shot to death by law enforcement. At least 92 homicides have been reported in the area for the year. We are reaching out to you in hopes that you will make an announcement to the citizens in your . eventAction: 'click_adunit' (WDAM) - A Nashville, Tenn. woman is behind bars in Rankin County for her possible involvement in a murder in Jefferson Davis County. Thanks in part to the near-simultaneous debut of True Detective, with its first-season storyline of murder investigations in backwater Louisiana, Brown generated enough buzz with his Medium article to land a book deal. The three men, all 18 years old, were taken into custody at their. We want nothing more than to solve these murders, said Jefferson Davis County Sher, We have turned the cases over to the district attorney who has enlisted the help of the FBI., Sometimes it takes more time to solve a case than we would like. [1] However, Brown's recent investigative work exposing connections between victims, suspects, and the police casts doubt on the theory that the Jeff Davis 8 is the work of a serial killer. In this case, both apply. But they were also dying under the weight of having no resources for their health problems, no resources for their mental health problems, no resources for substance abuse., Murder in the Bayou could be a story about unconstitutional policing run amok, but by focusing on the women themselves, the takeaway seems to be something far more heartbreaking. Over the next year and a half, the bodies of four more prostitutes 26-year-old Whitnei Dubois, 23-year-old Laconia "Muggy" Brown, 24-year-old Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno and 17-year-old Brittney Gary were found in or near Jennings. Brown clearly recognizes the pull: he named his book Murder in the Bayou. The case remains unsolved until today with no new leads to give the victims' families the closure they deserve. Less than two weeks later, Reginald Hartzog was found dead of a gunshot wound in a burned home on Hartzog Magee Road. Molly Monday: Will Mississippi baker reach the finale? }); According to law enforcement officers, Sistrunk and Insoce had been communicating through social media and had planned to meet each other. Louis area for bringing the issue of law enforcement misconduct into the public discourse., Trending Last year, Radelet put together a letter to Governor John Hickenlooper's office that highlighted studies he'd conducted arguing against the death penalty, with one section pointing out how inconsistently (and rarely) it's been sought in Colorado even for the most shocking crimes. From May 2005 - Nov 2009, 8 Beautiful women from Jennings and Lake Charles Louisiana (Jefferson Davis Parish) mysteriously disappeared only to be found murdered shortly after disappearing. That takes time.. Jefferson County. 4. March, 1992. We want to make sure everything is handled properly so if and when there is a conviction, it will stand. The incident happened on Zion Hill Church Road. Once authorities arrived on the scene, they discovered that Davis had also been wounded with multiple gunshots. [1], Frankie Richard, a local strip club owner and suspected drug dealer[1][2] admitted to being a crack addict and to having sex with most of the victims. "This is not to say that people didn't love them. }); Boulder. ga('ads.send', { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), This page was last modified on 1 May 2023, at 13:59. There are references to mistaken deaths in Atlanta and Tampa as the result of shoddy police informant tips. January 8: Destin Rashard Holley, 23, was found dead in the same incident. There seemed to be a link between all eight murders but no answers were found. Brown was a writer and a private investigator living in New Orleans when he first read about the Jeff Davis 8 in a 2010 New York Times story. Were sure youve never seen anything like this in your life. And these were cops.. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Jefferson Davis County Sheriff Ron Strickland says Inscoe became a suspect in Sistrunks murder after being stopped by an officer last week while she was driving a vehicle that belonged to the victim, who had been reported missing out of Rankin County on Tuesday, Sept. 6. [2] However, witnesses told investigators they believed the police had killed many of the victims because of what they knew about the shooting of Leonard Crochet. The Jeff Davis 8, sometimes called the Jennings 8, refers to a series of unsolved murders in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. Parents of Stephen Abram spoke with the Jefferson Davis County Board of Supervisors at its meeting Monday concerned over unsolved murders in the county. County. April & July, 1999. Between 2005 and 2009, eight women from the town of Jennings, Louisiana, in Jefferson Davis Parish, were murdered, their bodies dumped in crawfish ponds and canals in the area. },false)
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