Dark Minds (2012) - full transcript

Reporter: MAY 20, 2005
CHANGED JENNINGS FOREVER.

ON THAT DAY, THE FIRST
OF EIGHT JENNINGS FEMALES

TURNED UP DEAD.

Woman:
I'M ASKING ANYONE OUT THERE.

IF YOU HAVE SEEN BRITTNEY,
PLEASE,

I'M BEGGING YOU,
PLEASE, CALL ME.

Reporter #2: LAW-ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES SAY THE KILLER

IS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.

Man: THESE LADIES DID NOT
DESERVE TO DIE.

THEY WERE DUMPED JUST OUT HERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, NUDE.

WHEN THEY FLIPPED HER OVER,
HER FACE WASN'T THERE NO MORE.



WHEN THEY FOUND MY SISTER,

MY SISTER WAS LAYING ON
THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

Narrator: EIGHT WOMEN FOUND DEAD
IN AND AROUND

JENNINGS, LOUISIANA, DEEP
IN THE HEART OF CAJUN COUNTRY.

Lewis:
THE WAY THE BODIES ARE FOUND

AND THE WAY
THERE'S SO MANY SIMILARITIES,

IT JUST HAS THOSE HALLMARKS
OF SOMETHING THAT'S ORGANIZED

AND VERY KIND OF METICULOUS.

EVERYONE WITHIN THIS
WHOLE PARISH IS LIVING IN FEAR.

Narrator: WITH ALL THE CASES
STILL UNSOLVED 10 YEARS LATER,

DEEPLY HELD SUSPICIONS
ARE TEARING THE COMMUNITY APART.

Man #2:
JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH POLICE,

IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE,
A GIRL WOULDN'T HAVE DIED!

EVERYTHING IS ABOUT MONEY,
DRUGS, MURDER.



Man #3: YOU'RE MESSING WITH
SOME POWERFUL PEOPLE HERE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE
SCARED TO TALK TO Y'ALL.

WHO YOU THINK IT IS?
ALRIGHT.

Cormier: YOU KNOW, I HEAR PEOPLE
ALL THE TIME

SAYING THIS PERSON DID IT
OR THAT PERSON DID IT.

I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION
TO PROVE THAT.

I WOULD, LIKE,
CUT YOU LIKE THAT.

Narrator: NOW IN THIS 4-HOUR
SPECIAL EVENT,

EXCLUSIVE AND INTIMATE ACCESS
TO THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES

TAKES YOU DEEP INSIDE
THEIR SEARCH FOR ANSWERS.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
I WANT TO KNOW WHY IT HAPPENED.

I WANT TO KNOW
WHO DID IT,

AND I WANT TO KNOW

WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU
PUT HER RIGHT HERE?

THE ETHANOL LEVEL
WAS .421.

BUT SHE DIDN'T DRINK.

SHE JUST DIDN'T.
SHE NEVER DID.

THE EXPLOSIVE STORY
OF A TOWN FULL OF SECRETS

AND SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS.

YOU WANTS TO KNOW THE TRUTH,
DON'T GO BY WHAT NO STREETS SAY

BECAUSE THE STREETS LIE.

ALL THE STREETS LIE
FOR THE POWER OF THAT DRUG.

Narrator:
WHO KILLED THE JENNINGS 8?

Drake: OH, YEAH.
IT'S SO HOT HERE.

YOU KNOW HOW A DOG SWELLS
IN THE HEAT IN THE ROAD?

THAT'S HOW OUR BODY DO HERE.

WE LOVE CRAWFISH, BUT THEN WE
GET STEAMED LIKE THE CRAWFISH.

[ LAUGHS ]

YES, INDEED.

Hoag:
WE MAKE A JOKE DOWN HERE

THAT THERE'S THREE
DIFFERENT LOUISIANAS.

THERE'S NORTH LOUISIANA, WHICH
IS THE PROTESTANT BIBLE BELT,

AND THEN THERE'S NEW ORLEANS

THAT EVERYBODY THINKS
IS LOUISIANA,

AND THEN THERE'S GOD'S COUNTRY
OVER HERE.

Drake:
THIS IS A SMALL COMMUNITY.

EVERYBODY KNOW EVERYBODY.

YOU COULD COME IN TOWN AND SAY,

"HEY, I'M LOOKING
FOR SO-AND-SO."

"OH, THEY LIVE OVER THERE,
SUCH-AND-SUCH STREET."

Narrator:
PART OF JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH,

JENNINGS SITS IN THE SOUTHERN
CORNER OF LOUISIANA,

172 MILES FROM NEW ORLEANS,
DEEP IN CAJUN COUNTRY.

[ ZYDECO MUSIC PLAYS ]

LIKE MANY SMALL TOWNS
ACROSS AMERICA,

CHURCH AND FOOTBALL
REIGN SUPREME.

[ MARCHING BAND PLAYING ]

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]

AND A LOT DEPENDS ON WHAT SIDE
OF TOWN YOU HAPPEN TO LIVE ON.

Peck:
THERE'S A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE

ON EACH SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

THE NORTH SIDE, YOU HAVE
THE MIDDLE TO UPPER CLASS,

AND THEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE,
YOU HAVE THE WORKING CLASS

AND SOME OF THE POOR.

Lewis: KIND OF THE HAVES
AND THE HAVE-NOTS

IS A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT.

Narrator: WHILE IT'S HAD
ITS SHARE OF STRUGGLES...

AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN,
HURRICANES, DRUGS...

THINGS WERE ONCE
PRETTY QUIET HERE.

JENNINGS IS A TOWN WHERE YOU
MAY HAVE A COUPLE OF MURDERS

A YEAR ON A BUSY YEAR,
IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF FIGHTS.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GET DRUNK
ON A SATURDAY NIGHT,

AND THEY HAVE A FIGHT
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

MAYBE THEY TEAR UP
SOME PROPERTY,

SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

I'M CERTAINLY NOT GONNA SAY
ANYTHING BAD

ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT,
BUT NO DEPARTMENT THAT HAS LIVED

UNDER THAT KIND OF CONDITION
FOR DECADES

IS GONNA SUDDENLY BE PREPARED
FOR THIS VERY ORGANIZED,

VERY SCARY SERIES OF CRIME.

I'M A JOURNALIST
WHO CAME HERE TO WRITE

ABOUT ROTARY CLUB MEETINGS
AND, YOU KNOW,

THE OCCASIONAL GUY GETTING
HIS HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I HAD NO WAY TO BE PREPARED
FOR THIS,

AND I HAD NO WAY TO UNDERSTAND

JUST HOW FAR-REACHING IT
WOULD SPREAD INTO THE COMMUNITY.

Narrator:
BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009,

THE BODIES OF EIGHT YOUNG WOMEN

WERE DUMPED IN
AND AROUND JENNINGS.

MORE THAN 10 YEARS LATER,
THE CASES ARE STILL NOT SOLVED,

SO POLICE ARE RELEASING
VERY LITTLE INFORMATION.

TIRED OF WAITING FOR JUSTICE,

TWO FAMILY MEMBERS
ARE ON A MISSION

TO FIND THE TRUTH
ON THEIR OWN.

Taylor: THERE'S THREE RIGHT
THERE THAT NEED TO BE DRIED,

BUT THESE AND THE REST
OF THOSE SHIRTS

ARE ALL WE HAVE,

AND THERE ARE
THOSE TWO ORDERS,

TWO OR THREE ORDERS
IN THE BACK.

Jones: I WAS BORN IN JENNINGS,

AND I'VE LIVED HERE
ALL MY LIFE.

I LIKE THAT IT'S A SMALL TOWN

AND THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS
EVERYBODY.

I THINK THERE'S NOT ENOUGH
JOB OPPORTUNITIES

OUT HERE FOR ADULTS,

AND MOST PEOPLE ARE
LIVING CHECK TO CHECK.

RAY'S WOULD BE RIGHT
ACROSS THE TRACKS,

WHICH WOULD BE
THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN.

YOU SEE A LOT MORE
ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN.

IT'S MORE... AS FAR AS PEOPLE
ARE MORE OPEN

AS TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING
ON THIS END.

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
WE SEE A LOT OF DRUG DEALS

IN THE PARKING LOT RIGHT HERE,

AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF
SOLICITING IN THE WASHATERIA,

SO, I MEAN, WE GET TO SEE
OUR SHARE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

Narrator:
WHILE SOUTH SIDE JENNINGS

CAN SOMETIMES BE TOUGH,

BRITTANY JONES AND TAYLOR DUBOIS

HAVE MADE A GOOD LIFE
FOR THEMSELVES,

AND THEY'VE DONE IT TOGETHER.

AND YOU WANT TO WASH
THOSE DARKS,

OR ARE YOU LEAVING
IN THOSE DARKS?

NO, NOT...
IT'S NOT A FULL BAG.

Jones: TAYLOR AND I ARE PROBABLY
CLOSER NOW THAN WE EVER WERE.

WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH OVER
THE YEARS SINCE LOSING WHITNEI.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY DAYS

WHERE WE STAND
AT THIS IRONING BOARD.

THESE IRONING BOARDS
HAVE HEARD MANY THINGS.

WE SOLVE SO MANY PROBLEMS
HERE, THOUGH.

EXACTLY.

IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW
THE ANSWER TO SOMETHING,

THEN I HAVE IT,

AND IF I DON'T KNOW
THE ANSWER TO SOMETHING,

THEN SHE HAS IT,
AND WE JUST FIGURE IT OUT.

SHE TAKES THE SLACK OFF ME,
AND I TAKE THE SLACK OFF OF HER,

SO IT MAKES IT
SO MUCH EASIER.

RIGHT, SISTER?
THAT'S RIGHT.

Narrator:
BUT IT'S THE THIRD MEMBER

OF THIS TIGHT-KNIT SISTERHOOD

WHOSE ABSENCE IS KEENLY FELT.

WHITNEI DUBOIS
AND HER SISTER, TAYLOR,

WERE ADOPTED AS CHILDREN
BY BRITTANY'S GRANDPARENTS.

WHITNEI AND I HAD ALWAYS SAID
WE WERE SISTERS

BECAUSE IN SCHOOL, WHEN...
IT WAS EASIER TO...

IT WAS HARD TO EXPLAIN
TO CHILDREN

THAT WHITNEI AND TAYLOR
WERE MY AUNTS.

WE WERE SO CLOSE IN AGE,
AND IT WAS JUST...

SO WE GREW UP TELLING PEOPLE
WE WERE SISTERS,

AND IT WAS JUST...
IT WAS EASIER TO EXPLAIN

THAT WAY,
AND WE WERE RAISED THAT WAY.

WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP,
ME, TAYLOR, AND WHITNEI,

WE DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

WE WERE TEENAGERS.

WE MADE MANY,
MANY TRIPS TO WALMART

SO THAT WE COULD BE SNEAKY
AND MEET BOYS

AND DO ALL THAT STUFF
THAT TEENAGERS DO

THAT WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO

BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GO
ANYWHERE, SO WE'D GO TO WALMART.

Narrator: BUT IN MAY 2007,
THAT SISTERHOOD WAS SHATTERED.

Jones: IT WAS A SATURDAY.

WE WERE HAVING
A GRADUATION PARTY,

AND THE FAMILY HAD PLANNED A
HUGE CELEBRATION AT MY IN-LAWS'.

EARLIER THAT MORNING,
THERE WERE RUMORS

THAT A BODY HAD BEEN FOUND,
BUT NOBODY KNEW WHO IT WAS.

Man #4:
THERE WERE SEVERAL COP CARS,

A FEW OTHER PEOPLE
STANDING UP OVER THERE,

AND AS I DROVE DOWN TO THE END,

THEY SAID
THERE WAS A CRIME SCENE.

Reporter #3: WHAT INVESTIGATORS
FOUND AT THE INTERSECTION

OF BOBBY AND EARL DUHON ROAD
IS THE BODY OF A WOMAN.

A SOURCE CLOSE TO
THE INVESTIGATION TELLS 7 NEWS

THAT THE WOMAN'S BODY WAS NUDE.

Man #4:
I HEARD IT WAS A WOMAN.

DON'T KNOW THE AGE
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,

JUST THAT THE BODY
WAS ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

Jones: THAT ENTIRE DAY, I KEPT
ASKING EVERYBODY HAD THEY HEARD

FROM WHITNEI,
HAD ANYBODY SEEN WHITNEI.

IT WAS ABOUT 3:00, 3:00
OR 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON,

AND MY GRANDMA CALLED.

AS I'M ON THE PHONE WITH HER,
SHE SAID,

"WAIT, BRITTNEY.
HOLD ON A SECOND."

SHE SAID, "SOMEBODY IS KNOCKING
AT THE DOOR."

Narrator: BRITTNEY'S FATHER,
MIKE, WAS LIVING

WITH HER GRANDMOTHER
AT THE TIME.

Mike:
A KNOCK CAME ON THE DOOR,

AND THERE WERE A CORONER
AND TWO DETECTIVES THAT CAME.

MY MOTHER OPENED THE DOOR,
INVITED THEM IN

BECAUSE THEY SAID
THEY HAD TO SPEAK WITH US.

WHEN SHE GOT BACK ON THE PHONE,
SHE SAID, "THE COPS ARE HERE,

AND THEY SAID
I HAVE TO HANG UP WITH YOU."

AND I'M LIKE, "WHAT?
WHY ARE THE COPS THERE?"

AND SHE'S LIKE, "I'M GONNA
CALL YOU BACK," AND SHE HUNG UP.

Mike: I REMEMBER MY MOM COMING
INTO THE ROOM AND SAYING,

"BABY, THERE'S TWO DETECTIVES
AND THE CORONER HERE.

THEY WANT TO TALK TO US.

I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT WHITNEI,"
AND SHE WAS CRYING.

SHE WAS CRYING.

Jones: WHEN I GET THERE,
I WALKED IN THE KITCHEN.

THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BODY
THAT HAD BEEN FOUND

THAT MORNING WAS WHITNEI,

AND, UH...

...I REMEMBER FALLING,

AND, UM, I JUST...

I HIT THE FLOOR.

IT TOOK ME A SECOND TO REALIZE

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING.

AFTER THE DETECTIVES LEFT,
AND WE ALL SAT AND CRIED.

MY DAUGHTER, BRITTNEY, WENT
AND BROKE THE NEWS TO BEYONCE,

WHICH IS WHITNEI'S DAUGHTER.

Jones: BEYONCE WAS 4,

AND... SHE HAD A CARD IN HER HAND

THAT SHE HAD MADE FOR HER MOM
AT SCHOOL FOR MOTHER'S DAY.

[ SNIFFLES ]

AND I SAT HER ON MY LAP,

AND I EXPLAINED TO HER ABOUT
WHEN PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN,

AND I TOLD HER
THAT HER MOM WAS IN HEAVEN.

I'M PRETTY TOUGH WHEN IT COMES
TO ALL THE REST OF IT.

I'VE GRIEVED, AND I'VE BEEN

THROUGH THE EMOTIONAL PROCESS
OF IT ALL,

BUT I CAN NEVER, EVER TALK
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED

WITH BEYONCE
WITHOUT CRYING.

CHILDREN DON'T DESERVE TO
GROW UP WITHOUT PARENTS.

BEYONCE IS 16,
SO NOW SHE'S OLDER

WHERE SHE UNDERSTANDS
THE SPECIFICS.

MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED

AND SOLVE IT BEFORE
BEYONCE IS OLD ENOUGH

TO GO LOOKING
FOR THE ANSWERS HERSELF.

TAYLOR AND I COULD SAVE HER
FROM THE HORROR STORIES

AND THE NEGATIVITY.

WHITNEI'S BODY
WAS FOUND RIGHT HERE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS ROAD
WAS PAVED...

IT WASN'T.
...LIKE, AT ALL.

I HATE THE PAVEMENT.

IT'S, LIKE,
YOU'RE TRYING TO...

COVER SOMETHING UP.

...COVER SOMETHING UP

OR MAKE SOMETHING
GO AWAY OR SOMETHING.

LIKE, THE PAVEMENT
JUST KILLS ME.

I THINK IT'S UNIMAGINABLE
THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW

OR DON'T TALK
BECAUSE THIS TOWN

HAS NEVER OPERATED
THAT WAY.

PEOPLE ARE COVERING UP
SOMETHING,

AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY HUGE.

Narrator: IN MAY 2007,
WHITNEI DUBOIS' FAMILY

IS DEVASTATED
TO LEARN OF HER DEATH.

EVEN THOUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT

GIVES THEM
VERY LITTLE INFORMATION,

THE LOCATION
WHERE WHITNEI'S BODY IS FOUND

IMMEDIATELY
RAISES THEIR SUSPICIONS.

STANDING OUT HERE,
I'M THINKING TO MYSELF LIKE,

"WHY RIGHT HERE?

LIKE, WHAT LED
TO THIS PARTICULAR AREA

RIGHT HERE?"

WHAT MADE THEM SAY, "OKAY,
WE'RE GONNA DUMP HER

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
BUT NOT THE SIDE"?

Taylor: SOMEBODY DID THAT
ON PURPOSE,

SO THAT WHOEVER CAME
RIGHT HERE

WAS LIKE, [ GASPS ]
"A PERSON!"

IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE

WHAT I REMEMBER SEEING
IN THE PICTURE

WAS HER LAYING
IN THE FETAL POSITION

WITH HER BACK END
FACING THIS WAY,

ALMOST LIKE
SOMEONE HAD JUST

PUSHED HER
OUT OF A VEHICLE,

YOU KNOW,
AND THAT'S HOW SHE LANDED.

AND SOMEONE HAD TO HAVE
PUT HER HERE.

SHE DIDN'T WALK HERE,

SO WHY WOULDN'T
THAT PERSON SAY SOMETHING?

YOU'RE GONNA DIE WITH THIS
ON YOUR CONSCIENCE?

HOW DO YOU SLEEP
AT NIGHT?

NONE OF IT ADDS UP.

Narrator: TOXICOLOGY TESTS
REVEAL A HIGH LEVEL OF DRUGS

AND ALCOHOL IN WHITNEI'S SYSTEM,

BUT THE CORONER CAN'T DETERMINE
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
I WANT TO KNOW WHY IT HAPPENED.

I WANT TO KNOW
WHO DID IT,

AND I WANT TO KNOW

WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU
PUT HER RIGHT HERE?

BUT THE MOST SHOCKING FACT
ABOUT WHITNEI'S DEATH

IS THAT IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME
A WOMAN'S NAKED BODY

HAS BEEN DUMPED
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN.

THE STORY OF THE JENNINGS 8
STARTS 2 YEARS EARLIER.

MAY 20, 2005 CHANGED
JENNINGS FOREVER.

A FISHERMAN SPOTS A BODY

FLOATING IN
THE GRAND MARAIS CANAL,

ABOUT 5 MILES OUTSIDE
JENNINGS.

THE WOMAN IS LATER IDENTIFIED

AS 28-YEAR-OLD
LORETTA CHAISSON LEWIS.

SHE'S BEEN MISSING FOR 3 DAYS.

Reporter #1: LORETTA CHAISSON
WAS THE FIRST

OF EIGHT WOMEN TO DIE

IN A TRAGIC SERIES
OF SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH.

NICK AND CHAD CHAISSON SAY
THEY WERE CLOSEST IN AGE

TO THEIR BIG SISTER, LORETTA.

MOM CALLED ME.
I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME.

SHE SAID,
"LORETTA IS MISSING."

AN OFFICER HAD COME BY.

LORETTA HADN'T BEEN SEEN
IN A FEW DAYS.

"MOM," I SAID,
"SHE ALWAYS TURNS UP."

ALWAYS LEAVING.
SHE SAID, "NO."

SHE SAID, "THIS TIME,"
SHE SAID, "SHE ALWAYS CALLS.

SHE ALWAYS CALLS ME."

MOM WAS CRYING, AND IT WAS
JUST A FEW HOURS LATER

WHEN THEY FOUND HER.

Narrator:
THE MEMORY OF LORETTA'S DEATH

IS JUST AS PAINFUL TODAY
FOR HER TWO BROTHERS.

TO GET THAT PHONE CALL,
YOU'RE NEVER PREPARED FOR IT,

AND YOU NEVER EXPECT IT,
AND WE DIDN'T EXPECT IT.

Chad: SHE KNEW EVERYBODY.
MOST PEOPLE LIKED HER.

THERE AIN'T A DAY
THAT GOES BY

I DON'T THINK
ABOUT HER, YOU KNOW.

IT'S JUST... NOT GROWING UP
WITH HER IS, LIKE, WOW.

YOU KNOW,
I'M 40 YEARS OLD,

AND I WANTED
TO SEE MY SISTER

BE THIS OLD, YOU KNOW.

I DIDN'T GET TO SEE HER 30s.

IT WAS JUST...

SHE WAS 28.
I KNOW.

LORETTA WAS THE OLDEST,
THEN IT WAS ME,

AND THEN NICK WAS...

SHE WAS A GOOD BIG SISTER,
YOU KNOW.

SHE WAS...

FEISTY BUT SMARTASS.

YEAH.
COULDN'T DO...

SHE WAS A FEISTY
LITTLE SMARTASS, BUT...

BUT SHE HAD A BIG HEART.

SHE WAS THERE
FOR US ALL.

HER... SHE'D DO ANYTHING
NOW

TO MAKE US HAPPY.

SHE'D DO FOR ANYBODY,
HER KIDS ESPECIALLY.

YEAH.

HER KIDS WOULD COME
FIRST ALL THE TIME.

SHE'D COME BACK
WITH LOADS OF TOYS.

SHE ALWAYS DID
FOR HER KIDS.

Narrator: LORETTA WAS DETERMINED
TO GIVE HER TWO SONS

THE KIND OF LIFE
SHE NEVER HAD GROWING UP.

MY MOM AND DAD,

THEY WENT THROUGH
A DIVORCE.

AFTER THAT, I THINK,
THAT'S WHEN...

THAT'S WHEN OUR LIFE
JUST...

YEAH.
...WAS DESTROYED.

WE WERE YOUNG, DIDN'T HAVE
BOTH PARENTS ANYMORE.

WE WERE RUNNING AROUND.

THAT'S WHEN WE WERE TAKING
ADVANTAGE AND GETTING...

YOU KNOW,
DOING WHAT WE WANTED.

LORETTA FELL INTO THE WILD SIDE
PRETTY EARLY.

WE WERE YOUNG.

WE WERE, LIKE, 13, 14,
SHE'S SNEAKING OUT THE WINDOW.

SHE FELL
IN THE WRONG CROWD.

SHE'D DRINK A LOT

AND THEN TO THE CRACK
AND COCAINE,

AND ONCE SHE GOT ON THAT,
SHE GOT ADDICTED

AND JUST COULDN'T
GET AWAY FROM IT.

LORETTA CHAISSON LEWIS
WAS FOUND HERE.

I KNEW HER WELL.
I KNEW HER WELL.

Narrator: RICKY EDWARDS
WAS THE SHERIFF

OF JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH
AT THE TIME OF THE DEATHS.

SHE WAS A GOOD PERSON,
A VERY GOOD PERSON.

MADE SOME POOR DECISIONS
IN HER LIFE.

HER FATHER, I KNOW HIM.

I KNOW MOST OF THESE PEOPLE
BECAUSE, AS WE SAY,

JENNINGS IS VERY SMALL
AND FAIRLY CLOSE-KNIT.

IT'S VERY PERSONAL

WHEN SOMETHING TRAGIC
LIKE THAT HAPPENS.

ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO
TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE,

AND THEY ARE STILL IN
CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.

WE CAN'T MAKE SOMEBODY
DO SOMETHING

THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO.

YOU SECOND-GUESS AND THINK,

"MAYBE I COULD HAVE
DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT,"

BUT YOU JUST GO ON,
AND YOU DO YOUR JOB

AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU TRY
TO FIND OUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.

Narrator:
IT'S NO SECRET IN SOUTH JENNINGS

THAT LORETTA STRUGGLED
WITH ADDICTION,

AND WHILE HER CAUSE OF DEATH
WAS RULED UNDETERMINED,

SHE HAD DRUGS IN HER SYSTEM,

LEADING MANY TO BELIEVE
SHE OVERDOSED.

I'VE KNOWN LORETTA SINCE
SHE WAS PROBABLY A TEENAGER.

ALL LORETTA'S LIFE,
SHE WAS A FREE SPIRIT.

FROM VERY YOUNG,
LORETTA WAS WILD AND CRAZY,

SO I REMEMBER WHEN
LORETTA'S BODY WAS FOUND.

MY MIND DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY
THINK HOMICIDE.

NO ONE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED.

I JUST ASSOCIATED MAYBE
A DRUG OVERDOSE

WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER

BECAUSE HER HISTORY OF DRUG USE
WAS PRETTY WELL-KNOWN,

SO I JUST ASSUMED
THAT THAT'S ALL IT WAS

UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED REALIZING
THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY DUMPED,

THAT SHE HAD TO HAVE
BEEN THROWN THERE.

I'VE ACTUALLY FISHED THERE
BEFORE WITH MY HUSBAND,

SO I KNEW THE LOCATION,

AND IT'S NOT LIKE
IT WAS SOMEWHERE

WHERE SHE WAS WALKING
OR SAT DOWN.

IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW
IT WASN'T JUST AN OVERDOSE.

THERE WAS SOME TYPE
OF FOUL PLAY INVOLVED.

Narrator: IT'S MAY 2005,

AND THE BODY OF 28-YEAR-OLD
LORETTA CHAISSON LEWIS

HAS BEEN FOUND ON THE OUTSKIRTS

OF SMALL TOWN JENNINGS
IN LOUISIANA.

WELL, WITH LORETTA,
IT WAS SOMETHING

THAT WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT

THAN WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
HAD SEEN HERE BEFORE.

THAT'S NOT A NORMAL SITUATION
WHERE YOU HAVE A BODY,

YOU KNOW, DOWN
IN A WATERWAY.

IT HAPPENS, BUT IT'S NOT
A NORMAL OCCURRENCE.

Narrator: WITH LITTLE EVIDENCE
OTHER THAN THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT

SHOWING DRUGS IN HER SYSTEM,

THE MOST OBVIOUS POSSIBILITY IS
THAT LORETTA MAY HAVE OVERDOSED,

BUT HER BROTHERS
HAVE HEARD OTHER STORIES.

THEY HAD ONE STORY
THAT SHE WAS BEAT UP,

THEN THEY COME,
"OH, WELL, I PROMISE YOU.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE
NO MARKS ON HER.

SHE WASN'T BEAT UP.
SHE WASN'T CHOKED."

AND THERE WAS THE ONE THEORY
THAT SHE WAS KILLED

IN A MOTEL ROOM,

SMOTHERED BY A PILLOW,

BUT THAT WAS ONE
OF THE MANY STORIES,

YOU KNOW, WE HEARD.

SO REALLY AND TRULY,

WE STILL DON'T KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

WE JUST KNOW
WHERE SHE ENDED UP.

I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE

THAT IT WAS ANYTHING
MORE THAN AN O.D.

YEAH.
BECAUSE, I MEAN,

THE THOUGHT OF MY SISTER

HAVING TO BE SCARED
FOR HER LIFE

AND THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW,
COMING TO AN END,

I JUST COULDN'T...

I COULDN'T THINK
OF IT LIKE THAT.

Narrator: ALL LORETTA'S BROTHERS
HAVE TO GO ON

IS THE LAST TIME THEY SAW HER
SHORTLY BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.

SHE WAS AT A LOCAL GAS STATION
ALONG WITH A WELL-KNOWN FIXTURE

OF THE SOUTH JENNINGS
UNDERWORLD.

FRANKIE RICHARD PULLS UP.

LORETTA GIVES ME A HUG.
SHE SAYS SHE LOVES ME.

SHE GETS IN THE CAR
WITH FRANKIE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE.

I AIN'T NEVER SEEN HER.

FRANKIE RICHARD, A KNOWN
DRUG USER AND DEALER,

IS A CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE
AROUND TOWN.

I'M NOT A VERY
JUDGMENTAL PERSON.

I DON'T LIKE TO BE.
I DON'T LIKE TO JUDGE PEOPLE,

BUT I JUST THINK
HE'S THE, YOU KNOW...

HE'S NO GOOD.

THAT'S MY OPINION.

BUT NOTHING DIRECTLY LINKS
FRANKIE TO LORETTA'S DEATH,

AND THE CAUSE
IS ULTIMATELY RULED

AS UNDETERMINED
ON THE AUTOPSY REPORT.

STILL, NICK CAN'T SHAKE
THE BELIEF

THAT THERE'S MORE TO IT
THAN AN OVERDOSE.

SHE WAS NUMBER ONE,
AND THEN THEY WENT FROM THERE,

AND ALL THESE OTHER GIRLS
JUST DIED.

IF YOU CAN'T TELL
THAT SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT,

THEN...

I DON'T KNOW.

SOMETHING
JUST ISN'T RIGHT.

SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT.

Woman #2: ALL I KNOW IS THEY
FOUND A GIRL DOWN THE ROAD.

THAT'S ALL I KNOW.

Reporter #4:
THE PARTIALLY NUDE BODY

OF ERNESTINE DANIELS FOUND...

Reporter #5: THE BODY OF
ERNESTINE MARIE DANIEL PATTERSON

WAS FOUND IN A CANAL OFF
HIGHWAY 102.

SHE DISAPPEARED.

ERNESTINE, SHE WAS FOUND
IN ANOTHER IRRIGATION CANAL

THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES
SOUTH OF WHERE LORETTA WAS.

Narrator:
BOTH OF THE WOMEN'S BODIES

HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF IN A CANAL,

BOTH WITH DRUGS
IN THEIR SYSTEMS,

BUT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO DOUBT
ABOUT THE CAUSE OF DEATH.

ERNESTINE'S THROAT
HAS BEEN SLIT,

AND HER BRUISED HANDS SUGGEST
A BRUTAL STRUGGLE.

TRAUMA TO THE BODY
WAS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT,

BUT YOU ALWAYS PUT THAT
IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD,

THAT THEY COULD BE CONNECTED,

AND JUST BEING THE WAY
THEY WERE DISPOSED OF,

DUMPED, WE KIND OF FIGURED
THAT WE HAD SOMETHING

THAT WE NEEDED TO CONNECT
THE DOTS REAL QUICK.

Narrator: ERNESTINE'S DEATH,
LIKE LORETTA'S,

IS A SHOCK TO THE COMMUNITY
AND DEVASTATING FOR HER FAMILY.

SHE WAS A CARING, LOVING PERSON.

SHE WAS FUN TO BE AROUND,
TO TALK TO.

YEAH.

SHE STAYED IN CHURCH
ALL THE TIME, GOING TO CHURCH.

YEAH, WE WENT TO CHURCH
A WHOLE LOT.

TWO OR THREE TIMES
A WEEK.

I CAN'T REST AT NIGHT.
IT HURTS A LOT.

IT BOTHERS ME.

IT HURTS.

SHE JUST HAD A GOOD HEART.
SHE WAS A CHRISTIAN.

SHE HAD FIVE KIDS,

AND, I MEAN,
SHE WAS A GOOD, LOVING PERSON.

AFTER THE SECOND ONE, WE HAD
BROUGHT OUTSIDE AGENCIES IN

TO LOOK AT TO SEE
IF THEY WERE RELATED,

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A BLACK
FEMALE AND A WHITE FEMALE.

WE ARE GOING TO SOLVE THIS,

AND THIS PERSON OR PERSONS
WILL BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

Narrator:
BUT JUST TWO MONTHS LATER,

HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA
RIP THROUGH LOUISIANA.

Cormier: IN AUGUST OF 2005,

HURRICANE KATRINA
HIT IN NEW ORLEANS,

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
FROM THAT AREA EVACUATED.

ONE OF THE PLACES
THEY CAME WAS HERE, IN JENNINGS.

THAT TOOK A TOLL
ON LAW ENFORCEMENT

AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO DEAL
WITH THAT EMERGENCY SITUATION

AND TRY TO TAKE CARE
OF THOSE PEOPLE.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY, A HOMICIDE IS

A VERY HIGH-PRIORITY
INVESTIGATION,

BUT WHEN WE HAVE TO RESPOND
TO IMMEDIATE SITUATIONS

AS LAW ENFORCEMENT,
FIRST RESPONDERS,

SOMETIMES INVESTIGATIONS
HAVE TO WAIT

UNTIL WE GET EVERYBODY TAKEN
CARE OF AND SECURE AND SAFE,

AND THEN WE GO BACK
TO DOING INVESTIGATIONS.

Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2005,

SIX MONTHS
AFTER ERNESTINE'S MURDER,

INVESTIGATORS
FINALLY GET A BREAK

WHEN WITNESSES POINT THEM
TO TWO SUSPECTS,

LAWRENCE NIXON AND HIS FRIEND
BYRON CHAD JONES.

I DON'T KNOW BYRON CHAD JONES.

LAWRENCE NIXON WENT TO SCHOOL
WITH TAYLOR,

SO I KNEW LAWRENCE NIXON.

HE WAS ACTUALLY
AN EXTREMELY AWESOME

FOOTBALL PLAYER
IN JENNINGS HIGH,

PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST
THAT THEY EVER HAD.

SO THERE WEREN'T
TOO MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE

WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS.

Narrator: WITNESSES TELL POLICE
THEY SAW NIXON AND JONES

PARTYING WITH ERNESTINE
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED

AND THAT THINGS
MAY HAVE TURNED VIOLENT.

THEY SAY JONES AND NIXON
WERE SEEN LATER

THAT NIGHT COVERED IN BLOOD

THEN MOVING A LARGE AND HEAVY
TRASH BAG FROM NIXON'S PORCH

INTO THE TRUCK
OF A WHITE CAR.

Cormier:
I CAN'T GET INTO SPECIFICS.

JUST THERE WAS ENOUGH
INFORMATION

THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN

WARRANTS ON LAWRENCE NIXON
AND BYRON CHAD JONES,

AND THEN THEY WERE
INDICTED IN 2006.

Narrator:
BOTH MEN PLEAD NOT GUILTY,

BUT THE CASE SUFFERS A SETBACK

WHEN FORENSIC TESTING
OF NIXON'S PORCH

FAILS TO FIND
ANY EVIDENCE OF BLOOD

AND THEN A STUNNING REVERSAL.

Cormier: THERE WAS A WITNESS
THAT RECANTED HIS STATEMENT,

HAD A DIFFERENT STATEMENT
TO SOME DEGREE,

HAD DIFFERENT INFORMATION,

SO THEN IT, YOU KNOW,
IT CREATES A LEGAL ISSUE

BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING
TO DETERMINE,

"OKAY, WELL, WHICH STATEMENT
IS THE ACCURATE STATEMENT?"

Narrator: UNRELIABLE WITNESSES
AND A LACK OF EVIDENCE

RESULTS IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

DROPPING THE CHARGES
FOR ERNESTINE'S MURDER.

IN LOUISIANA, THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY PROSECUTES A CASE

WHEN HE BELIEVES THAT
THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED INDICATES

THAT HE CAN PROVE THAT CASE
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.

Lewis: THE TWO WERE HELD IN JAIL
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS

BEFORE THE CHARGES WERE
DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE,

SO THAT IF MORE INFORMATION
CAME FORTH LATER,

THEY COULD BE RE-ARRESTED.

YOU KNOW, WE GET THAT A LOT
IN EVERY INVESTIGATION.

"WELL, I KNOW WHO DID IT."

WELL, SOMETIMES,
WE KNOW WHO DID IT, TOO,

BUT THE D.A. WON'T BE ABLE
TO PROVE

THEY DID IT BASED
ON WHAT WE HAVE,

SO IT KIND OF COMES
TO AN IMPASSE.

Narrator: WITH THE INVESTIGATION
BACK TO SQUARE ONE,

ERNESTINE'S FAMILY
AND LOCAL RESIDENTS

ARE LEFT FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY.

Jessica: I KNOW THEY SAY
THEY'RE ARRESTING THEM,

BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
NO EVIDENCE, NO PROOF.

THEY LET THEM GO.

NO EVIDENCE, NO NOTHING,
NO TRACE.

Narrator: AS THE MONTHS PASS
WITHOUT ANY NEW INFORMATION,

THE TOWN SETTLES BACK INTO THE
EASY RHYTHMS OF SOUTHERN LIFE,

THEN ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER,
THE HORROR CONTINUES.

I REMEMBER FINDING OUT
THAT THE POLICE

WERE PULLING A BODY
OUT OF THE WATER.

Narrator:
IT'S BEEN 21 MONTHS

SINCE THE BRUTAL MURDER
OF ERNESTINE PATTERSON

AND THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH
OF LORETTA LEWIS.

THE SMALL TOWN OF JENNINGS
HAS TRIED TO MOVE ON,

BUT ANOTHER DEVASTATING
DISCOVERY MAKES IT CLEAR

THAT THE NIGHTMARE IS NOT OVER.

Reporter #6:
THE BODY OF 21-YEAR-OLD
KRISTEN ELIZABETH GARY LOPEZ

WAS FOUND IN THE PETITJEAN CANAL
SOUTH OF WELSH.

Narrator: KRISTEN LOPEZ HAS BEEN
MISSING FOR 12 DAYS

WHEN HER BODY IS FOUND FACEDOWN
IN A CANAL IN A SECLUDED AREA

ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTH
OF JENNINGS.

Cormier: THE FIRST TWO CASES
HAPPENED IN 2005,

AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH,
YOU KNOW, SOME TIME.

2006, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CASES,

AND THEN THIRD VICTIM,
KRISTEN GARY LOPEZ COMES UP,

AND, ONCE AGAIN,
IT'S A FEMALE FOUND IN WATER.

Lewis:
THERE WERE SUCH CLOSE TIES

BETWEEN THE WAYS
THE BODIES WERE FOUND,

IN BODIES OF WATER,
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE,

"WOW, THAT'S REALLY MESSED UP."

Narrator:
KRISTEN IS COMPLETELY NUDE

EXCEPT FOR A WHITE SOCK
ON HER RIGHT FOOT.

AS WITH LORETTA,
HER BODY IS TOO DECOMPOSED

TO DETERMINE
HER CAUSE OF DEATH,

BUT TOXICOLOGY SHOWS SHE ALSO
HAD DRUGS IN HER SYSTEM.

Jones: SHE HAD BEEN MISSING
FOR SO LONG.

THE CONDITION HER BODY
WAS IN WAS NOT A SECRET.

WE LIVE IN LOUISIANA,

SO OUR WEATHER CONDITIONS
INTENSIFY THAT,

AND WHERE HER BODY WAS,
THERE WAS ALLIGATORS.

SHE WAS MY BABY.

Jones: I FELT SORRY FOR HER MOM.

AS A MOTHER, YOU NEVER WANT
TO BURY YOUR CHILDREN,

AND YOU NEVER WANT
YOUR CHILDREN TO SUFFER.

OH, I WAKE UP WITH HER
ON MY MIND.

I GO TO BED WITH HER ON MY MIND.

SHE'S MY LIFE.

I MEAN, SHE'S GONE,

AND I HAVE NO CLOSURE,
NO ANSWERS.

IT'S JUST HARD, I MEAN.

Jones:
SHE WAS A VERY SWEET GIRL.

SHE WAS A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY.

SHE WAS EVERYWHERE, AND SHE
CAME FROM A VERY GOOD FAMILY,

AND SHE WAS VERY LOVED,
AND SHE SHOWED IT.

SHE WAS... YOU COULD TELL.

SHE WAS GENUINELY A GOOD FRIEND

TO EVERYBODY SHE CAME
IN CONTACT WITH.

Narrator: HANNAH CONNER WAS ONE
OF KRISTEN'S CLOSEST FRIENDS,

A WOMAN SHE CONSIDERED FAMILY.

KRISTEN WAS...
SHE WAS A REAL SWEET PERSON.

SHE WAS A REAL...

ALWAYS A KID AT HEART, YOU KNOW,

SO IT REALLY BROKE US
WHEN WE FOUND OUT

THAT SOMEBODY
HAD DONE THAT TO HER.

SHE WAS THROWN AWAY, YOU KNOW,
JUST LIKE SHE WAS NOTHING,

JUST THROWN AWAY
TO BE EATEN ON.

IT WAS JUST HORRIBLE.

SORRY.

KRISTEN ALWAYS HAD
THIS INNOCENCE ABOUT HER.

SHE WASN'T OUT TO GET NOBODY.

SHE WASN'T OUT TO HURT NOBODY.

SHE WAS A GREAT PERSON.

MY DAD AND HER DAD WERE REAL
GOOD FRIENDS GROWING UP.

KRISTEN'S MOM, WHO I VIEWED
AS AN AUNT,

THEY WERE JUST PART OF OUR
LITTLE FAMILY UNIT, YOU KNOW.

Narrator: PART OF THIS FAMILY
UNIT INCLUDED

HANNAH'S FATHER, BILLY CONNER,
AND HIS HALF-BROTHER,

FRANKIE RICHARD,
THE SAME FRANKIE RICHARD

WHO ALSO KNEW THE FIRST VICTIM,
LORETTA LEWIS.

Conner: WE ALWAYS HAD BIG,
MASSIVE BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

MY GRANDMA WOULD BARBECUE.

WE'D HAVE, LIKE, A MILLION KIDS
IN THE BACKYARD PLAYING TAG.

WE'D DO RELAY RACES.

WE'D JUST RUN AROUND WITH
BALLOONS IN BETWEEN OUR LEGS

AND TRY TO SEE
WHO COULD GET THE FURTHEST.

WE HAD A BLAST.

WE HAD A GREAT FAMILY-ORIENTED
TIME, YOU KNOW.

Narrator:
BUT DESPITE THE GOOD TIMES,

MEMBERS OF BOTH FAMILIES
WERE BATTLING ADDICTION.

Conner:
IT WAS PRETTY WELL-KNOWN

THAT SHE WAS REALLY BAD
ON DRUGS.

WE PRETTY MUCH ALL WERE.

IT'S JUST WHAT WE WERE
SURROUNDED BY.

THAT'S WHAT WE KNEW.

YOU KNOW, WE SEEN
OUR PARENTS DO DRUGS.

ALL OF OUR FRIENDS
ENDED UP TURNING TO DRUGS, TOO.

Narrator: AND EVERYONE'S
FAVORITE PLACE TO PARTY

WAS BILLY CONNER'S CAMPER

PARKED NEXT
TO FRANKIE RICHARD'S HOUSE.

Conner:
MY FATHER, HE WAS A GOOD MAN.

HIS PLACE WAS KIND OF
LIKE THE SAFE ZONE,

I ALWAYS FELT, AND I THINK A LOT
OF THE GIRLS FELT THAT WAY.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GIRLS THAT
WENT AND VISITED WITH MY DAD

AND PARTIED WITH MY DAD,
THAT'S WHERE THEY WENT.

Narrator: KRISTEN WAS OFTEN SEEN
AT BILLY'S TRAILER,

BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE
SHE WAS HEADING

THE LAST TIME HANNAH SAW HER.

Conner:
THE LAST TIME I HAD SEEN HER,

SHE ASKED ME FOR A RIDE
TO HER FRIEND'S HOUSE.

SHE ALWAYS NEEDED A RIDE OR
NEEDED TO BORROW SOME CLOTHES,

YOU KNOW,
OR JUST SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SHE GOT IN A VAN.

I REMEMBER HER TELLING ME

SHE HAD JUST GOT
BEATEN UP RECENTLY.

SOMEONE HAD ACTUALLY BEAT HER UP
WITH A PAIR OF BRASS KNUCKLES,

AND SHE PICKED UP HER SHIRT,

AND SHE HAD BRUISES
ON HER CHEST, ON HER BELLY.

AND THEN I DROPPED HER OFF,

AND THAT WAS THE LAST
I'VE SEEN OF HER.

Interviewer: DID SHE SAY WHY
SOMEBODY HAD BEATEN HER UP?

THEY CAUGHT HER STEALING.

THEY CAUGHT HER STEALING SOME
MONEY OR SOMETHING FROM THEM.

DID SHE TELL YOU
WHO IT WAS?

NO.

Narrator: SHORTLY AFTER HANNAH
LAST SAW HER,

KRISTEN'S PARENTS FILE
A MISSING PERSONS REPORT.

Conner:
HER MOM HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR HER

AND HADN'T BEEN ABLE
TO FIND HER.

I WAS JUST THINKING HER MOM
MIGHT HAVE

JUST BEEN BEING
A LITTLE PARANOID

BECAUSE OF THE OTHER GIRLS
THAT HAD COME UP MISSING.

I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY
JUST THOUGHT

SHE WAS JUST
ON A BENDER SOMEWHERE.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL
FOR HER

TO BE MISSING
FOR A COUPLE DAYS, YOU KNOW.

MAYBE SHE HAD JUST LEFT TOWN,

MET SOME GUYS AND LEFT TOWN
WITH THEM AND WAS COMING BACK.

Narrator: THOUGH THE CORONER
CANNOT DETERMINE

THE CAUSE OF KRISTEN'S DEATH,
IT IS TREATED AS A HOMICIDE.

Cormier: ANY TIME YOU HAVE
A SUSPICIOUS DEATH

OR A DEATH THAT
YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH

OR YOU DON'T HAVE
CREDIBLE INFORMATION

TO DISCOUNT A HOMICIDE,

YOU'RE TRAINED TO WORK
EVERY DEATH AS A HOMICIDE.

Narrator: AND THE SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN THE WOMEN'S DEATHS

STOKE INCREASING ANXIETY
AMONG THE PEOPLE OF JENNINGS.

THE WAY THE BODIES ARE FOUND

AND THE WAY THERE'S
SO MANY SIMILARITIES,

IT STRIKES THE NORMAL PERSON AS
BEING A VERY ORGANIZED SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM
ARE FOUND IN SIMILAR MONTHS,

YOU KNOW, MARCH AND MAY.

THE CONDITIONS OF THE BODIES
WHEN THEY'RE FOUND,

THEY'RE ALL FOUND OUT
IN THE OPEN.

THEY'RE ALL FOUND OUT
IN THE OUTDOORS.

IT JUST HAS THOSE HALLMARKS

OF SOMETHING THAT'S VERY KIND
OF METICULOUS AND EVOLVING.

AT THAT POINT,
EVERYONE STARTED TO BELIEVE

THAT WE HAD AN ISSUE HERE.

SOMETHING IS WRONG.

THEY'RE BEING TARGETED.

THE COMMUNITY WAS
BASICALLY OUTRAGED.

Conner: THE WHOLE TOWN,

IT HAD A FEAR
AND PARANOIA FOR EVERYBODY.

I WAS TERRIFIED TO GO WALK
ANYWHERE ALONE AT NIGHT.

I WAS SCARED, YOU KNOW,
IF I'D SEEN THE SAME TRUCK

DRIVE BY ME MORE
THAN THREE TIMES

WHEN I'M WALKING DOWN THE ROAD.

I'D BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

Jones: THEY HAD NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS

BEFORE OUT HERE.

WE HAD NEVER HAD
THIS MANY MURDERS

IN SUCH A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.

Conner: NOT ONLY WERE YOU SCARED
OF THESE STRANGE MEN

DRIVING AROUND TOWN,

YOU ALSO HAD A FEAR
OF TRUSTING ANYBODY.

Narrator: WITH THREE WOMEN FOUND
DEAD IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS,

THE SMALL TOWN OF JENNINGS
IS IN THE GRIP OF RISING PANIC.

TWO MONTHS AFTER
KRISTEN LOPEZ'S BODY

IS DUMPED
IN THE PETITJEAN CANAL,

NEWS OF ANOTHER
TERRIBLE DISCOVERY

SPREADS THROUGH THE TOWN.

Reporter #3: WHAT INVESTIGATORS
FOUND AT THE INTERSECTION

OF BOBBY AND EARL DUHON ROAD
IS THE BODY OF A WOMAN.

Narrator: ON MAY 12, 2007,

POLICE VISIT
THE DUBOIS FAMILY HOME

TO TELL THEM THAT 26-YEAR-OLD
WHITNEI DUBOIS

HAS BEEN FOUND NAKED,
DEAD AND DUMPED.

SHE IS THE FOURTH VICTIM,

BUT THE SITE
WHERE SHE WAS DUMPED

IS NOTABLY DIFFERENT
FROM THE OTHER WOMEN.

Cormier:
SHE WAS FOUND ON A ROADWAY.

THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
THAN THE OTHER VICTIMS.

IT'S THE FIRST VICTIM
THAT ACTUALLY PUT IN MORE

OF A PUBLIC PLACE
WHERE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY,

THERE'S MORE CHANCE
OF THE BODY BEING FOUND,

ESPECIALLY QUICKER
THAN IT WOULD BE

IF YOU PUT IT IN A WATERWAY
LIKE THE OTHERS WERE.

AS AN INVESTIGATOR, YOU START
TRYING TO DETERMINE

IS THERE ANY MEANING TO THAT?

WE DEFINITELY KNEW THAT WE HAD
SOME KIND OF ANOMALY HERE

THAT WAS HAPPENING,

AND WE SCRAMBLED TO TRY TO
PUT ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER.

Narrator: WHITNEI'S BODY
WAS FOUND

ABOUT 5 MILES OUTSIDE JENNINGS

AND CLOSE TO WHERE THE PREVIOUS
THREE VICTIMS WERE FOUND.

I THINK THIS WAS MORE CONFIDENT
ON THE KILLER'S PART,

THAT HE FELT VERY COMFORTABLE IN
WHAT HE WAS DOING AT THE TIME.

Narrator: WHILE INVESTIGATORS
WORK TO ESTABLISH

THE POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN THE CASES,

WHITNEI'S FAMILY
TAKES THE INITIATIVE,

TRYING TO PUT
THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER.

WE STARTED DIGGING FOR
OUR OWN INFORMATION

PROBABLY
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

IMMEDIATELY, YEAH.

WE WERE KIND OF ABLE TO PUT
A SERIES OF EVENTS TOGETHER.

BETWEEN WEDNESDAY
AND THURSDAY,

ABOUT MIDNIGHT,

SHE WENT
TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S,

AND SHE WAS HUNGRY.

MY GRANDMA FED HER.

SHE WANTED TO STAY THERE
AND SPEND THE NIGHT,

BUT MY GRANDMA
TOLD WHITNEI

THAT SHE COULDN'T SPEND
THE NIGHT THERE,

AND HER AND MY GRANDMOTHER
HAD AN ARGUMENT,

AND SHE LEFT WALKING.

HER NEXT STOP WAS BILLY
AND FRANKIE'S HOUSE.

THE WAY THAT LOCATION
IS SET UP

IS FRANKIE
AND BILLY'S MOM

LIVES IN THE HOUSE
RIGHT THERE IN FRONT,

AND THEN IN THE BACK
BEHIND THE DRIVEWAY

IS A SMALL CAMPER,

AND THAT'S WHERE
BILLY CONNER LIVES.

BILLY WAS A NICE GUY.

BILLY WAS A VERY
KIND-HEARTED MAN,

SO I'M PRETTY SURE
WHITNEI KNEW

THAT SHE COULD GO
TO BILLY'S,

AND SHE HAD A PLACE
TO LAY HER HEAD

AT LEAST FOR THE NIGHT.

I'M ASSUMING SHE WAS LOOKING
FOR DRUGS AS WELL,

AND BILLY WAS THE GO-TO.

JUST LIKE LORETTA,
ERNESTINE AND KRISTEN,

WHITNEI WAS STRUGGLING
WITH DRUG ADDICTION.

Taylor: I KNEW THAT SHE DABBLED
WITH THE PILLS,

AND I KNEW THAT
SHE SMOKED MARIJUANA,

BUT IT WASN'T
AN EVERYDAY THING,

LIKE,
IT WASN'T A "GOT TO HAVE."

WHEN SHE HAD BEYONCE,
SHE HAD A C-SECTION,

AN EMERGENCY C-SECTION.

HER INCISION AT THE END
HAD STARTED TO GET RED,

AND SHE WAS
IN A LOT OF PAIN.

I REMEMBER TAKING HER TO THE
DOCTOR, AND HE LOOKED AT IT,

AND HE SAID, "I THINK
IT'S GETTING INFECTED."

SHE WAS PRESCRIBED
PAIN MEDICINE THEN.

IT GOT TO THE POINT
WHERE SHE DIDN'T START HER DAY,

AND SHE DIDN'T FUNCTION,
WITHOUT SOME MEDICINE.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHEN I KNEW
SHE HAD A PROBLEM.

WHITNEI DISTANCED HERSELF
A LOT FROM US

AFTER SHE GOT REALLY HEAVY
INTO THE DRUGS BECAUSE...

I THINK...
...SHE WAS ASHAMED.

...IN HER WORLD,
SHE MAY HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY,

BUT SHE KIND OF PORTRAYED
TO US...

YEAH.

...THAT SHE WAS SO THAT
WE WOULDN'T...

I KNOW THE LAST TIME
I SAW HER...

...QUESTION OR...
...SHE WAS VERY HAPPY.

HER AND HER BOYFRIEND
HAD PLANS TO BUY A HOUSE,

GET OFF THE DRUGS,

AND BASICALLY,
IN THEIR MIND,

THEY HAD A HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER
PICTURE PLANNED.

BUT HAPPILY EVER AFTER
NEVER CAME.

ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER BRITTNEY
SAW HER,

WHITNEI DUBOIS IS FOUND DEAD.

AS WITH LORETTA AND KRISTEN,

FRANKIE RICHARD IS
ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE

TO SEE WHITNEI ALIVE.

I MET WHITNEI RIGHT HERE
IN THE DRIVEWAY.

SHE WAS GOING
TO MY BROTHER'S CAMPER,

HAD A FRIEND THAT WAS
SITTING RIGHT HERE WITH ME.

ME AND MY FRIEND LEFT.

WE WENT DOWN HERE,
DOWN THE ROAD WHERE HE STAYED,

AND WHEN WE GOT BACK
RIGHT HERE,

WHITNEY WAS OVER THERE
BY THE STOP SIGN,

RIGHT OVER THERE
BY HOBART AND McKINLEY,

AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I SEEN WHITNEI.

THAT'S THE STORY
THAT I'VE ALWAYS HEARD,

THAT SHE WENT
TO THE CAMPER

AND THEN DISAPPEARED
INTO THIN AIR,

AND THEN TWO DAYS LATER,

SHE'S ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
WITH NO CLOTHES ON.

AND THAT'S WHERE
THE PROBLEM LIES.

THERE'S BIG PATCHES
MISSING IN BETWEEN.

I DON'T KNOW WHO DONE IT.

I WISH I DID KNOW,
BUT I DON'T KNOW.

FRANKIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
A NO-GOOD CREEP TO ME.

I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING
GOOD ABOUT HIM.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM
DO ANYTHING GOOD.

I LIKED BILLY.
I ALWAYS DID.

I SPOKE TO BILLY
AFTER WHITNEI DIED.

BILLY CRIED, AND HE TOLD ME,
"I WOULD NEVER HURT YOUR SISTER.

I WOULD NEVER DO THAT.
I LOVED YOUR GRANDPARENTS.

I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING
TO HURT THEM,"

AND HE SEEMED SINCERE.

Narrator:
BILLY CONNER DIED IN 2014

WITHOUT SHEDDING
ANY FURTHER LIGHT

ON WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT.

WHITNEI'S DEATH RAMPS UP
THE PRESSURE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT

EVEN HIGHER TO PROTECT
THE WOMEN OF JENNINGS

AND MAKE AN ARREST.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT
YOU WOULD THINK

THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN A
SMALL COMMUNITY LIKE JENNINGS.

IT HAS CAUSED CONCERN.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS NUMBER FOUR.

THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S GOING ON.

WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES
OPEN MORE.

WE NEED TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.

Narrator: THREE DAYS AFTER
WHITNEI'S BODY IS DISCOVERED,

POLICE FINALLY GET A BREAK
IN THE KRISTEN LOPEZ CASE.

Reporter: THIS IS A "7 NEWS"
SPECIAL REPORT.

WE'RE BLESSED THAT SOMEBODY
HAS COME FORWARD.

Peck: JEFF DAVIS PARISH
SHERIFF RICKY EDWARDS

SAYS A TIP FROM INFORMANTS
GAVE INVESTIGATORS

ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO ARREST
TWO PEOPLE WITH LOPEZ'S MURDER.

Narrator: ONE OF THOSE ARRESTED
IS NO SURPRISE

TO THE SOUTH JENNINGS COMMUNITY.

IT'S FRANKIE RICHARD,

WHO IS ALREADY IN JAIL
ON AN UNRELATED CHARGE.

MR. RICHARD
WAS INCARCERATED MONDAY

ON A RAPE THAT HAD OCCURRED
EARLIER THAT DAY.

Narrator:
BUT THE OTHER ARREST COMES
AS A SHOCK TO THE COMMUNITY

AND THE SUSPECT HERSELF.

Peck: 22-YEAR-OLD HANNAH CONNER

WAS ARRESTED THIS MORNING
IN VERMILION PARISH.

I HEARD KRISTEN WAS MISSING,
SO I CONTACTED THE POLICE.

I THOUGHT I WAS TRYING
TO HELP THE SITUATION,

BEING THIS IS MY FRIEND,
YOU KNOW?

THIS IS SOMEBODY
I WAS CLOSE WITH,

AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW,

I AM BEING ARRESTED
FOR MURDER OF KRISTEN.

AFTER THAT, IT'S JUST A BLUR.

MY EMOTIONS WERE EVERYWHERE.

Narrator: THE POLICE INFORMANT
IS TRACEE CHAISSON,

KRISTEN'S GIRLFRIEND
AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH.

Peck:
THE STATEMENT OF TRACEE CHAISSON

TURNED THE EYES OF INVESTIGATORS
TOWARD FRANKIE

AND HIS NIECE, HANNAH CONNER.

WHILE BOTH FACE
SECOND-DEGREE MURDER CHARGES

FOR LOPEZ'S DEATH,

THEY'RE ALSO BEING INVESTIGATED
FOR POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT

IN THE DEATHS
OF LORETTA LYNN CHAISSON,

ERNESTINE PATTERSON,
AND WHITNEI DUBOIS,

WHOSE BODY
WAS FOUND SATURDAY.

Chaisson:
LORETTA WAS MY FIRST COUSIN.

KRISTEN WAS MY GIRLFRIEND,

AND THE REST OF THEM,
I KNEW FROM THE STREETS.

Conner:
TRACEE CHAISSON, YEAH,

WE HUNG OUT
IN SOME OF THE SAME CIRCLES,

SAME CIRCLES BEING MY DAD,
FRANKIE, KRISTEN.

YOU KNOW, WE KNEW
SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE.

HER AND KRISTEN,
I THINK, AT ONE POINT,

WERE ACTUALLY AN ITEM,
BUT AS FAR AS BEING FRIENDS,

I CAN'T SAY
WE WERE EVER CLOSE ENOUGH

TO BE, LIKE, FRIENDS AND BUDDIES
AND HANGING OUT.

I REALLY COULDN'T TELL YOU

ANYTHING PERSONAL ABOUT HER,
YOU KNOW?

Narrator:
ON THE DAY OF HER ARREST,

JENNINGS POLICE BRING HANNAH
INTO THE INTERROGATION ROOM.

Conner: THEY TOOK ME INTO
THE INTERROGATION ROOM.

I DON'T KNOW
HOW LONG I WAS THERE.

THEY STARTED
ASKING ME QUESTIONS,

BOMBARDING ME
WITH QUESTIONS,

YOU KNOW, TIME LINE THIS,
TIME LINE THAT.

I WAS TERRIFIED.

HERE I AM.
I'M A YOUNG KID, EARLY 20s,

BUT I WAS DOING DRUGS,
AND I WAS PARTYING, YOU KNOW?

AND I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT,

BUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF NEVER GETTING OUT?

THAT'S WHAT WAS TERRIFYING,

JUST A LOT OF WORRY,
A LOT OF STRESS.

THEY ASKED, "WHO DID KRISTEN
HANG OUT WITH?"

THEY WERE ASKING ME
WHAT WAS THE LAST TIME

I SEEN HER.

HOW CLOSE WERE WE?

AND THEY KEPT ASKING ME
OVER AND OVER AND OVER

IF I WAS SCARED OF FRANKIE.

THEY WERE WILLING
TO DROP MY SENTENCE

FROM SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

TO A FIVE-YEAR
MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

IF I TOLD THEM
THAT FRANKIE WAS INVOLVED.

YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE,
AND FRANKIE DID IT.

Narrator:
HANNAH CLAIMS SHE HAS AN ALIBI

ON THE NIGHT
KRISTEN WENT MISSING.

Conner: THE NIGHT IN QUESTION,

I WAS ACTUALLY THROWING
A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT MY HOUSE.

ME, MY BROTHER,
MY MOM, MY GRANDMA,

AND EVERYBODY DRINKING
AND HAVING A BLAST, YOU KNOW?

Narrator:
BUT TRACEE TELLS POLICE
A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.

TRACEE CHAISSON HAD SAID THAT...

TRACEE SAID THAT FRANKIE,
CONNIE, ME, TRACEE, AND KRISTEN

WERE ALL RIDING AROUND
GETTING HIGH TOGETHER.

FRANKIE AND KRISTEN
START FIGHTING,

AND FRANKIE BEAT KRISTEN UP.

HE HADN'T KILLED HER.

TRACEE WAS SCREAMING,
"NO, STOP!"

YOU KNOW, WHATEVER... LIKE,
SHE DIDN'T WANT THIS TO OCCUR,

AND I HELD KRISTEN UNDERWATER
AND, YOU KNOW, FINISHED HER OFF,

BUT, YEAH,
THAT WAS HER STORY.

THAT'S JUST WHAT
THE POLICE TOLD ME.

THEY BELIEVE THAT I WAS THERE

AND WHAT TRACEE SAID WAS TRUE,
BUT THEY WERE TELLING ME,

THERE'S NO REASON
FOR TRACEE TO BE LYING.

YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD
SOMEBODY LIE ON YOU

THIS BAD OF A LIE,
YOU KNOW?

THERE'S GOT TO BE
SOME KIND OF TRUTH IN IT.

DO... YOU KNOW?

THEY REALLY THOUGHT THAT
I WAS JUST PROTECTING FRANKIE,

I BELIEVE.

Narrator:
LIKE HANNAH, FRANKIE RICHARD
HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP

WITH KRISTEN AND HER FAMILY.

Peck:
JUST BEFORE HER DISAPPEARANCE,

KRISTEN,
ALONG WITH TRACEE CHAISSON

AND A WOMAN NAMED CONNIE SILER,

VISITED UNCLE FRANKIE
IN HIS ROOM

AT THE JENNINGS BUDGET INN,
WHERE HE WAS STAYING.

Narrator:
FRANKIE ADMITS HE SAW KRISTEN
WITH TRACEE AND CONNIE

IN THE HOURS LEADING UP
TO HER DISAPPEARANCE.

YOU KNOW?

AND, YOU KNOW...

Reporter: LAST WEEK,
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

ARRESTED FRANKIE RICHARD
FOR SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.

WITNESSES SAY
THE 52-YEAR-OLD WAS SEEN

WITH THREE OF THE FOUR GIRLS
SHORTLY BEFORE THEY DIED.

HE IS INVOLVED IN THE LAST
DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.

NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I'M STILL NOT SURE, BUT THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO INVESTIGATE

AND FIND OUT.

Reporter: ...WHERE A NEW POLL
SHOWS POSSIBLE

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE MIKE HUCKABEE

COULD CHALLENGE
PRESIDENT OBAMA.

FRANKIE RICHARD...
HIS NAME SEEMS TO BE

ON EVERYBODY'S LIPS.
ANYWHERE YOU GO,

"YOU NEED TO TALK
TO FRANKIE RICHARD.

WE THINK HE'S INVOLVED."

WELL, WE GOT IN TOUCH
WITH FRANKIE RICHARD.

FRANKIE, YOUR NAME
KEEPS COMING UP

FOR WHATEVER REASON
IN THIS INVESTIGATION,

AND SOME PEOPLE
WOULD CALL YOU A SUSPECT.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE
TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

I THINK
IT'S CRAZY, YOU KNOW?

I KNEW ALL THE GIRLS.

EVERY LAST ONE OF THESE GIRLS,
I'VE GOTTEN HIGH WITH.

Woman: I MEAN,
ARE YOU A CRACK ADDICT?

AM I A CRACK ADDICT?

I'VE SMOKED CRACK
FOR 20 YEARS.

NOW, WAS THEY HOOKED
ON CRACK?

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY
THEY WAS HOOKED ON CRACK,

BUT WE ALL GOT HIGH.

Peck:
I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT OUT
OF ALL THE INTERVIEWS WE DID,

HIS WAS PROBABLY
THE MOST TELLING,

AND HE WAS THE MOST HONEST
AND THE MOST DIRECT.

HE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS FROM,

DID HE DO DRUGS WITH THE GIRLS?

DID HE KNOW THE GIRLS?

DID HE SLEEP WITH THE GIRLS?
- NO.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD SEX
WITH ANY OF THESE GIRLS?

YES, I HAVE.

HOW MANY OF THEM?

UH...[ SIGHS ]

ALMOST ALL OF THEM.

Peck:
ON THE SURFACE, IT SEEMS LIKE
HE DOESN'T HAVE A LOT TO HIDE,

BUT YOU CAN'T DENY
THAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY,

"YEAH. HE'S INVOLVED,"

'CAUSE HE KNEW
EVERY ONE OF THESE GIRLS,

SOME OF WHICH HE SAW
DURING THE FINAL HOURS

BEFORE THEY WERE...
THEIR BODIES WERE DISCOVERED.

SO, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER.

DO I THINK HE DID IT?
I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: POLICE HAVE ARRESTED
FRANKIE RICHARD

AND HANNAH CONNER

AFTER INFORMANT
TRACEE CHAISSON

ALLEGES THEY KILLED
HER GIRLFRIEND, KRISTEN LOPEZ,

BUT 10 DAYS AFTER THE ARRESTS,
THE CASE TAKES A DRAMATIC TURN.

I WAS RELEASED BECAUSE
TRACEE RECANTED HER STATEMENT

AND SAID THAT
SHE LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING

THAT SHE HAD SAID WAS DONE.

I PUT FRANKIE RICHARD
AND HANNAH CONNER IN JAIL

FOR ABOUT A WEEK,
AND I COULDN'T LIVE WITH MYSELF,

SO AND I WENT BACK
AND TOLD THEM THAT I LIED.

I MADE UP A STORY
SO THE JENNINGS POLICE WOULD...

JENNINGS DETECTIVES
WOULD LEAVE ME ALONE.

SHE GAVE AN INTERVIEW
SAYING THAT SHE MADE

SOME MISLEADING STATEMENTS,
BUT THE DETAILS OF IT,

I DON'T WANT TO DISCLOSE
'CAUSE IT'S STILL ONGOING.

ANYTIME YOU HAVE ANY WITNESS
THAT CHANGES THEIR STATEMENT,

THAT ALWAYS CAUSES ISSUES.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE
WHICH INFORMATION IS ACCURATE?

AND THAT'S WHAT'S FRUSTRATING.

Narrator:
TRACEE CHAISSON IS CHARGED
WITH ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT,

BUT THE CHARGE IS LATER DROPPED.

NO CHARGES ARE BROUGHT
AGAINST CONNIE SILER.

HANNAH CONNER
IS RELEASED FROM JAIL

AFTER TRACEE
RECANTS HER STATEMENT,

BUT FRANKIE REMAINS INCARCERATED

UNTIL THE RAPE CHARGE
IS DROPPED,

AND INVESTIGATORS ARE LEFT
WITH NO CLEAR PATH TO THE TRUTH.

THE TRUTH IS, I KNOW NOTHING.

I DON'T KNOW NOTHING.
THE TRUTH IS, I DON'T...

I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS.

Narrator:
BUT FRANKIE SAYS THAT SOMETIME
AFTER KRISTEN WAS KILLED,

TRACEE CAME TO HIM
WITH A SHOCKING CONFESSION

ABOUT WHO REALLY KILLED KRISTEN.

YOU KNOW?

YOU KNOW?

I'M TRULY SORRY FOR
WHAT I SAID AND WHAT I DID,

BUT IF I KNEW SOMETHING...

I'D LOVE TO SIT DOWN
AND TALK TO TRACEE.

WHY WOULD SHE EVEN GIVE A STORY
ABOUT HERSELF BEING THERE

IF SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO?

TO ME, IT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY SENSE.

WAS SHE THERE?

I WONDER ABOUT THAT
ALL THE TIME.

Jones:
I NEVER SAW TRACEE AS A MURDERER
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,

BUT I DID KNOW THAT TRACEE
HAD A HISTORY OF DRUG ABUSE

AND HAD BEEN IN AND OUT OF JAIL

AND HAD SEEN AND DONE
A WHOLE LOT IN HER LIFETIME.

GET THE [BLEEP] OUT MY FACE,
AND DON'T COME BACK.

Narrator:
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN
CLEARED OF THE CHARGES,

SUSPICIONS ABOUT
HANNAH AND FRANKIE

STILL RUN HIGH IN JENNINGS.

I WAS NEVER THE SAME
AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW?

I COULDN'T GO INTO TOWN AND...

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

...WITHOUT HAVING THIS FEELING
OF DREAD AROUND ME, YOU KNOW?

I KNEW EVERYBODY LOOKED AT ME AS
A MURDERER FROM THAT POINT ON.

I MOVED AWAY FROM JENNINGS.

STILL TO THIS DAY,
I CAN'T EVEN GO IN THAT TOWN.

JENNINGS IS NOT A HAPPY PLACE
FOR ME ANYMORE.

Caiman: WE'VE LOST FRIENDS,
I MEAN, EVERYTHING.

MY LITTLE SISTER WAS CRYING
IN SCHOOL BEHIND IT STILL

BECAUSE GIRLS WERE SAYING
THAT MY DADDY WAS A KILLER

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO WHAT THE PUBLIC, AND
WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND

IS WHEN THEY SAY,
"OH, FRANKIE KILLED THEM GIRLS,"

OR...
BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IT DOESN'T AFFECT HIM.
IT AFFECTS OUR LIVES.

IT AFFECTS THE WAY WE LIVE.

THAT REALLY AFFECTED ME,
YOU KNOW?

IT REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HURT.

YOUR FATHER IS GETTING ACCUSED
OF KILLING SOMEBODY.

HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT AS A KID?

YOU KNOW, LIKE, DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT HE ACTUALLY DID IT?

IS HE CAPABLE OF IT?

YOU KNOW, LIKE, IS THIS
SOMETHING THAT HE REALLY

COULD'VE HAD SOMETHING
TO DO WITH?

LIKE, NOBODY WANTS TO EVEN HEAR
THAT ABOUT THEIR FATHER.

I REMEMBER BEING IN SIXTH GRADE
AND THE KIDS PICKING ON ME

ABOUT MY DAD
SUPPOSEDLY BEING A KILLER,

AND I REMEMBER FIGHTING
AND GETTING KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL

FROM SIXTH GRADE
THROUGH NINTH, EACH YEAR.

YOU ALL RIGHT?
YEAH.

WE DIDN'T KNOW NO BETTER.
WE DIDN'T DO NOTHING,

BUT WE WAS BEING TARGETED
BECAUSE OF WHO OUR FATHER WAS

AND BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE
HE WAS INVOLVED WITH.

Caiman:
ONE THING I ALWAYS REMEMBER,

EVERY TIME I'D ASKED HIM
IF HE'D EVER KILLED SOMEBODY,

HE WOULD TELL ME,
"SON, THERE'S SECRETS

A MAN SHOULD TAKE
TO HIS GRAVE WITH HIM,

AND LATER ON IN LIFE,

YOU'LL LEARN
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT."

Lauren: HOPEFULLY, ONE DAY
IF HE DOES SPEAK ABOUT IT,

I WISH HE WOULD, JUST TO GIVE
SOME KIND OF JUSTICE

TO THESE GIRLS, I MEAN,
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T DESERVE IT.

THAT'S MY DADDY, AND I LOVE HIM.

DO I BELIEVE HE DONE IT?
NO.

DO I BELIEVE HE KNOWS SOMETHING?

YES, I DO.

EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMETHING.

NOBODY WANTS TO TALK.

[ TRACK BELL RINGING ]

[ OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS ]

Narrator: IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE
THE MYSTERIOUS DEATHS

OF WHITNEI DUBOIS

AND KRISTEN LOPEZ

AND THREE YEARS
FOR ERNESTINE PATTERSON

AND LORETTA LEWIS.

FOUR WOMEN FOUND DUMPED
IN THE SMALL TOWN

OF JENNINGS, LOUISIANA,

AND POLICE ARE STILL
NO CLOSER TO FINDING ANSWERS.

WE HAVE SOMEBODY OUT HERE
THAT IS KILLING THESE WOMEN.

WE HAD NEVER
HAD THIS MANY MURDERS

IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrator:
THEN ON MAY 29, 2008,

THE NEWS
EVERYONE HAS BEEN DREADING.

[ OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS ]

Peck:
A ROUTINE PATROL DOWN RACCA ROAD

TURNS UP A GRUESOME DISCOVERY

EARLY THURSDAY MORNING
BY JENNINGS POLICE.

Officer: WE GOT APPROXIMATELY
A MILE DOWN THE ROAD

AND DISCOVERED THE BODY
OF A BLACK FEMALE

WHO HAS NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED

LAYING IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ROAD.

Peck: AUTHORITIES SAY
THEY HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE

SHE WAS MURDERED ELSEWHERE
AND DUMPED HERE,

WHERE SHE WAS FOUND
PARTIALLY NUDE AROUND 3:00 A.M.

Narrator:
THE NEXT DAY, OFFICIALS
RELEASE THE NAME OF THE VICTIM.

LACONIA BROWN,
ALSO KNOWN AS MUGGY,

WAS 23 YEARS OLD
AND LIVED IN JENNINGS

WITH HER GRANDMOTHER
AND YOUNG SON.

YOU WANT
TO GO SEE HER?

Bessie: THAT NIGHT,
WE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME,

AND WE WAS BARBECUING.

SHE LEFT ABOUT 12:30.

I SAID, "LACONIA,
WHERE YOU GOING?"

SHE SAID, "MAMA, I'M GOING TO
A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE DAW,"

AND SHE SAID, "I'LL BE BACK."

SHE GOT ON HER KNEES.

SHE KISSED JAHEIM,
AND SHE KISSED ME.

SHE SAID, "MAMA, I LOVE YOU,"

AND SHE SAY, "I WANT YOU
TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

AND TAKE CARE OF JAHEIM."

SO I SAID,
"GIRL, YOU BETTER BE HERE,"

AND SHE SAID,
"YES, MA'AM, MAMA.

I'M-A BE HERE MYSELF,"
AND SHE LEFT,

AND SHE NEVER RETURNED
BACK HOME.

LACONIA BROWN,
ALSO KNOWN AS MUGGY...

THIS IS THE AREA
RIGHT HERE

IN WHICH SHE WAS FOUND.

FACING DOWN,
HEAD THIS WAY TO THE...

FACING NORTH.

SHE WAS FULLY CLOTHED,

NOT QUITE AS DECOMPOSED
AS THE OTHER ONES WERE,

BUT THERE WAS
SOME DECOMPOSITION ON HER.

Bessie: THEY FIND
THE BODY ON RACCA ROAD,

AND WHEN I WENT THERE TO GO SEE,
THE POLICEMAN TOLD ME,

"NO, YOU CAN'T GO BACK THERE."

THEY HAD BEAT HER SO BAD,

THEY WOULDN'T LET THE FAMILY
LOOK AT THE BODY,

BUT I STILL WANTED TO SEE.

Narrator:
AUTOPSY RESULTS REVEAL COCAINE
AND ALCOHOL IN HER SYSTEM,

AND SIMILAR
TO ERNESTINE PATTERSON,

LACONIA'S THROAT WAS SLIT.

INCISED WOUNDS TO THE NECK
WERE PART OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH.

Narrator:
SEVEN CUTS TO HER NECK AND THREE
CUTS BEHIND HER RIGHT EAR.

POLICE WONDER IF THEY'RE
STARTING TO SEE A PATTERN.

Cormier: ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAD
A FEMALE FOUND ON A ROADWAY.

THE VICTIMS WERE IN WATER,
AND NOW, THEY'RE ON A ROADWAY,

SO DOES THAT MEAN ANYTHING?

OR IS THAT JUST
WHAT THE PERSON...

THEY'RE TRYING TO BE
A COPYCAT-TYPE SITUATION,

OR IS THAT JUST WHAT
THEY CAME UP WITH, YOU KNOW?

BOTH OF THE BLACK FEMALE VICTIMS
HAD INCISED-TYPE WOUNDS,

AND SO DOES THAT MEAN
ANYTHING, YOU KNOW?

YOU DON'T KNOW.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT
AND KEEP IN MIND

WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
YOUR INVESTIGATION.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE LATEST BODY
COMES AS DISTURBING NEWS

TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS
OF THE OTHER MURDERED WOMEN.

THEY SAY THERE'S NO DOUBT
IN THEIR MINDS

THAT THE MURDERS
ARE SOMEHOW CONNECTED.

IT'S QUITE DISTURBING
FOR A SMALL TOWN LIKE THIS

TO HAVE THAT
MANY YOUNG WOMEN MURDERED.

THERE'S NO OTHER WORD
BUT MURDERED,

AND JUST DUMPED
LIKE THEY'RE NOBODIES.

Narrator:
TO HER FAMILY, LACONIA WAS MORE
THAN JUST THE FIFTH VICTIM.

SHE WAS A GRANDDAUGHTER,
MOTHER, AND SISTER.

Kindra: MUGGY, SHE WAS LOVING.

SHE WOULD BE THERE
TO COMB MY HAIR.

SHE WOULD BE THERE
TO RUN OUR BATHWATER.

SHE WOULD BE THERE
TO TIE OUR SHOE.

IF WE GET WHOOPED,
SHE WOULD BE THERE.

"OH, COME ON, MY SISTER.

YOUR SISTER LOVE YOU.
IT'S GONNA BE OKAY."

SHE ALWAYS WANTED US
TO BE HAPPY,

KEEP GOING, NEVER GIVE UP.

Bessie: I REALLY
MISS LACONIA A WHOLE LOTS.

I PRAY TO GOD, WHOEVER DONE IT

THAT THEY WOULD TELL US WHY.

Kindra: I'M NOT GONNA
GIVE UP ON MY SISTER.

I'M-A FIGHT 'TIL
I CAN'T FIGHT NO MORE.

I STILL LOVE HER, AND
I'M STILL GONNA PUSH THIS

UNTIL THE END,

UNTIL WE REALLY FIND OUT
WHO REALLY DID THIS TO HER.

THAT'S SOMEBODY'S CHILD.

YOU'D NEVER
TAKE NOBODY LIFE, NEVER.

Narrator:
AS LACONIA'S FAMILY GRIEVES,
ANOTHER LOCAL WOMAN SHARES

AN OMINOUS PREMONITION
WITH HER MOTHER.

SHE'S LIKE,
"WELL, WHAT IF I'M NEXT?

WHAT IF I AM
THE NEXT ONE MURDERED?"

AND SHE WAS.

Narrator: MAY 2008,

THE BODIES OF FIVE WOMEN
HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED

OVER THREE YEARS NEAR THE SMALL
LOUISIANA TOWN OF JENNINGS.

Reporter: LACONIA BROWN
IS THE FIFTH WOMAN

TO BE FOUND DEAD
IN THE RURAL AREA OF JENNINGS.

POLICE CHIEF JOHNNY LASSITER
SAYS THEY HAVEN'T DETERMINED

THE MOTIVE
OR A SUSPECT AT THIS TIME.

Lassiter: WE'RE FOLLOWING UP
WITH SEVERAL LEADS.

WE'RE KIND OF NARROWING
DOWN THE FIELD,

AND HOPEFULLY,

WE'LL SOON BE ABLE
TO NARROW IT DOWN TO ONE PERSON.

Narrator: JUST FOUR MONTHS
AFTER THE TERRIBLE DISCOVERY

OF LACONIA BROWN,

THE SMALL-TOWN POLICE FORCE
IS STRUGGLING

TO INVESTIGATE
THE FIVE SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

WHEN ANOTHER
HARROWING CALL COMES IN.

Edwards: I WAS COMING BACK
FROM LAKE CHARLES.

WE HAD HURRICANE IKE ON THE WAY

WHEN WE GOT THE REPORT
AND HEADED THIS WAY.

THERE WAS A LOT
OF DECOMPOSITION,

WHICH MADE IT
HARDER TO IDENTIFY.

HUNTERS WHO WERE COMING OUT HERE
TO DO SOME HUNTING

SMELLED SOMETHING REALLY BAD
AND REPORTED IT TO US.

I CAN SHOW YOU DOWN
IN THIS RAVINE, RIGHT IN HERE.

[ INSECTS CHIRPING ]

Cormier: THE BODY WAS FOUND
IN A WOODED AREA.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT THIS
IS TOTALLY SOMETHING DIFFERENT,

OR IS THIS SAME PERSON, PERSONS

JUST CHANGING THINGS UP
OR JUST A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS,

AND THAT'S HOW
THEY ENDED UP HAPPENING?

Narrator:
OFFICIALS SET UP A COMMAND POST
TO PROCESS THE CRIME SCENE.

Cormier: THAT WAS THE WORST CASE
OF DECOMPOSITION

OF ALL THE VICTIMS.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF DECOMPOSITION,

AND THE MORE TIME AND THE MORE
A BODY IS EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS,

MORE AND MORE CHANGES OCCUR.

BASICALLY,
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A BODY

THAT WAS
A SKELETAL-TYPE REMAINS.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, SARAH
AND BRIAN BENOIT'S DAUGHTER

HAS BEEN MISSING
NEARLY TWO WEEKS,

BUT THAT WASN'T UNUSUAL
FOR 24-YEAR-OLD CRYSTAL.

WHEN WE MOVED TO JENNINGS,
SHE STARTED GETTING IN

WITH THE CROWDS
THAT WERE DOING THE DRUGS,

EVEN AS AN EIGHTH-GRADER
AND FRESHMAN.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PROSTITUTION
GOING ON AT THAT TIME ALSO,

AND THEN SHE DISAPPEARED
WITH THEM,

TWO WEEKS,
THREE WEEKS AT A TIME.

THE LAST PLACE
SHE WAS HEARD FROM WAS...

SHE WAS AT PHILLIPS 66
AND MADE A PHONE CALL

TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

SUPPOSEDLY AT THAT TIME,

SHE WAS TRYING
TO SAY WHO WAS DOING IT

AND REALLY COULDN'T SAY
THE NAME, BUT SHE WAS SCARED.

AND THIS IS HER AND I IN
A BEDROOM OF THE GRANDMA'S HOUSE

WHEN SHE WAS A BABY,

AND THIS WAS
FROM HER 5th BIRTHDAY.

SHE LOVED BARBIES,

AND THIS IS HER
FOR HER FIRST COMMUNION.

SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BIPOLAR
AT THE AGE OF 12,

AND, YOU KNOW, SHE ALWAYS LOVED
EVERYONE ELSE BUT HERSELF,

AND SHE HAD BEEN
RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME

AND BEEN HANGING AROUND
THE SAME CROWD

THAT PRETTY MUCH
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY

IN THESE INVESTIGATIONS,

AND SHE WOULD START DOING
THE DRUGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

CRYSTAL HAD A VERY SECURE LIFE,
YOU KNOW?

SHE WAS ALWAYS WELCOME
TO BE HERE WITH US AS A FAMILY.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE OUT THERE.

SHE COULD'VE BEEN HERE,
BUT, YOU KNOW,

THE DRUGS JUST PULLS YOU AWAY
FROM YOUR FAMILY,

AND IT CONSUMES EVERYTHING.

WE KNOW SHE KNEW KRISTEN,

AND WE KNOW SHE KNEW LORETTA,
YOU KNOW,

AND SHE SAID SHE KNEW ERNESTINE.

SHE KNEW MUGGY.

SHE'S LIKE,
"WELL, WHAT IF I'M NEXT?"

"WHAT IF I AM THE NEXT
ONE MURDERED?"

Narrator: A WEEK AFTER
THE HEARTBREAKING DISCOVERY,

DENTAL RECORDS
FAIL TO IDENTIFY THE BODY.

SARAH AND BRIAN BENOIT
HOPE FOR THE BEST

BUT EXPECT THE WORST.

Sarah:
IN MY HEART, I KNEW, YES, BUT
I STILL WANTED THE CONFIRMATION.

BASICALLY, I SAT ON THIS CHAIR
AND WAITING FOR A RED TRUCK,

WHICH IS THE CORONER'S TRUCK,

TO TELL ME WHAT
THE DNA RESULTS WERE,

AND I'D JUST SIT HERE
DAY IN, DAY OUT,

AND I COULDN'T FUNCTION.
I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.

I'D JUST SIT HERE AND WAIT.

Narrator:
AS THE BENOITS WAIT TO HEAR

IF THE UNIDENTIFIED BODY
IS THEIR DAUGHTER'S,

FRUSTRATION WITH
THE POLICE INVESTIGATION

MOTIVATES SEVERAL
OF THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES

TO HIRE A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR.

Menard: THE FAMILIES FELT
THAT AFTER THREE YEARS,

THE INVESTIGATION
WAS GOING SLOW.

THEY FELT LAW ENFORCEMENT
LACKED THE MANPOWER.

THEY KNEW THAT I HAD 30
INVESTIGATORS UNDER MY LICENSE

AS THIS IS ALL WE DO
AND FORMALLY RETAINED ME.

TWO DAYS LATER,
BRITTNEY GARY ENDS UP MISSING.

Narrator: ON NOVEMBER 2, 2008,

TWO MONTHS AFTER
THE UNIDENTIFIED BODY IS FOUND,

17-YEAR-OLD BRITTNEY GARY
DISAPPEARS.

BRITTNEY, A COUSIN OF
THE THIRD VICTIM, KRISTEN LOPEZ,

IS LAST SEEN
IN A JENNINGS DOLLAR STORE.

Reporter: A MISSING CHILD IS
ANY PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE,

AND TERESA GARY IS LIVING IT.

HER 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER,
BRITTNEY GARY, WENT MISSING.

SO FAR, CLUES ABOUT
HER DISAPPEARANCE

HAVE TURNED UP NOTHING.

Jones: WE KNEW IMMEDIATELY
BRITTNEY GARY WAS MISSING

BECAUSE SHE WAS A MINOR,
SO THAT HIT THE NEWS INSTANTLY.

IT WAS PRETTY MUCH...

IF THEY DON'T FIND HER SOON,

THEN SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED.

Narrator:
KIRK MENARD AND HIS ASSOCIATES

JOIN THE SEARCH
FOR THE MISSING TEEN.

LET'S GET THIS UNDER CONTROL,
PREVENT A KILLING.

THEN LET'S LOOK
FOR WHO'S DONE THIS.

Reporter: PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
KIRK MENARD SAYS

AT THIS POINT
IN THE INVESTIGATION,

HE AND HIS ASSOCIATES
HAVE TO ASSUME THE WORST.

I WENT OUT WITH MENARD
AND HIS TEAM THURSDAY EVENING

AS THEY SEARCHED FOR BRITTNEY
IN THE RURAL AREAS

WHERE THE OTHER WOMEN
HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD.

WE WANT CLOSURE.

THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES
WANT CLOSURE,

AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE WORKING ON.

Reporter: AS FAR AS TERESA GARY,

SHE SAYS SHE WON'T STOP
UNTIL HER DAUGHTER IS FOUND.

I KNOW THAT MY CHILD IS ALIVE
OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

I KNOW THIS, AND I'M NOT
GONNA GIVE UP HOPE.

I KNOW SHE IS.

Narrator: TWO FAMILIES WAIT.
TWO FAMILIES HOPE

THAT THEIR DAUGHTER
IS NOT THE NEXT VICTIM.

[ WHISTLE BLOWS,
INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]

[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]

[ WHISTLE BLOWING ]

WE WERE AT A FOOTBALL GAME

ON MY HUSBAND'S BIRTHDAY...

[ MARCHING BAND CONTINUES,
WHISTLING CONTINUES ]

...AND WE'D SEEN
THE CORONER WALKING UP,

AND HE'S GOT TO CROSS
ALL THESE PEOPLE TO GET TO US,

AND EVERYBODY ELSE
STARING AT HIM,

FOR HIM TO COME TO TELL US
THAT IT'S OUR DAUGHTER.

[ DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS ]

[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING,
WHISTLE BLOWS ]

MY KIDS WAS THERE
WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND,

AND WE HAD TO LEAVE, AND
I HAD TO LEAVE MY KIDS THERE.

COULD'VE WAITED 'TIL
WE GOT HOME, YOU KNOW?

Narrator:
THE DNA RESULTS CONFIRM
THE BENOITS' WORST FEARS.

THE BODY FOUND BY THE HUNTERS
IS THEIR DAUGHTER'S...

CRYSTAL BENOIT ZENO.

BUT THE STATE OF HER BODY MAKES
IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CORONER

TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH.

[ INSECTS CHIRPING ]

Cormier: ONCE YOU HAVE
DECOMP OR, YOU KNOW,

ANY KIND OF ANIMAL ACTIVITY
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

YOU NOW HAVE INTRODUCED
OTHER THINGS

INTO THE MEDICAL STANDPOINT.

WAS THIS CAUSED BY A PERSON,

OR WAS THIS
BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER,

THE DECOMP,
OR SOME ANIMAL ACTIVITY?

Reporter: HOW MUCH HEARTACHE
CAN ONE COMMUNITY STAND?

LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS
AFTER MUGGY'S DEATH,

ANOTHER FAMILY GOES THROUGH
THE SAME DEEP SORROW.

WE PUT THE DATE OF HER BURIAL,
WHICH IS THE DATE THAT WE FELT

THAT SHE WAS LAID TO REST
AND AT PEACE.

Brian: IT'S BEEN ROUGH,
VERY, VERY ROUGH

BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING
HAPPENS TO SOMEBODY ELSE,

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU
RELIVE IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW?

IT'S JUST BEEN HARD, AND...

I'M ANGRY, YOU KNOW?

AND I HAVE EVERY RIGHT
TO BE ANGRY,

BUT I HAVE TO TRY
TO HOLD MY PEACE WITH GOD.

IT'S JUST THAT
THERE'S SOMEBODY OUT THERE

THAT'S REAL SICK
THAT'S DOING THIS,

AND I THINK THEY NEED GOD
IN THEIR LIFE.

Narrator: AS THE SIXTH VICTIM
IS LAID TO REST,

17-YEAR-OLD
BRITTNEY GARY'S FAMILY

CONTINUES
THEIR DESPERATE SEARCH.

SIX WOMEN HAVE BEEN
FOUND DEAD NEAR JENNINGS,

AND TONIGHT,
THE SEARCH CONTINUES

FOR A MISSING TEENAGER.

Reporter: BRITTNEY GARY
HAS BEEN MISSING

FOR MORE THAN
10 DAYS NOW.

SHE WAS LAST SEEN BUYING MINUTES
FOR HER CELLPHONE

AT THE JENNINGS
FAMILY DOLLAR STORE.

BRITTNEY WAS RELATED
TO ONE OF THE WOMEN

FOUND DEAD
IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH

AND WAS FRIENDS
WITH OTHER VICTIMS.

Teresa: I MADE A PROMISE
THAT I WOULD FIND HER,

AND I WOULD NOT STOP
UNTIL I DID,

AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP.

MY DAUGHTER
WILL NOT BE NUMBER SEVEN.

I'M NOT GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN.

[ CRYING ]

Narrator: IT'S NOVEMBER 2008.

SIX WOMEN HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD,
DUMPED ON THE RURAL ROADS

AND IN THE CANALS
AROUND JENNINGS, LOUISIANA.

ALL OF THE DEATHS
ARE SUSPICIOUS...

...AND MANY IN THIS SMALL
SOUTHERN TOWN FEAR

THAT THE DEATHS ARE CONNECTED.

THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON.
WE EITHER HAVE A SERIAL DUMPER.

WE COULD HAVE A SERIAL KILLER,

BUT AT THIS POINT,

WE ONLY HAVE THREE
OF OUR SIX VICTIMS

THAT HAVE ACTUALLY
BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A HOMICIDE.

Reporter: WHAT WOULD BE
A SERIAL DUMPER?

COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

WELL, I REALLY DON'T KNOW
THAT'S THE TERMINOLOGY.

I GUESS WE'RE MAKING UP.

COULD BE THE SAME PERSON

THAT IS INVOLVED WITH THEM
GETTING OVERDOSED

AND JUST DUMPING
THEIR BODY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

RICKY EDWARDS SAID,
"WE MAY HAVE A SERIAL DUMPER,"

SO THE GIRLS OVERDOSED,

AND THEN SOMEBODY
IS DUMPING THE BODIES.

I THINK THAT'S A...

THE STUPIDEST THING
THEY COULD EVER SAY.

OVERDOSE IS JUST A COP-OUT,
IN MY OPINION.

I THINK IT'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT, "OH, WELL,

IT WAS JUST A BUNCH
OF DRUG ADDICTS WHO OVERDOSED."

LIKE, YOU KNOW,
PICK THIS RUG UP,

SWEEP IT UNDER THERE,
AND THEN WE'LL CALL IT A DAY.

THE CONNOTATION OF BEING DUMPED,
OF SOMEBODY WHO WAS JUST...

NOBODY HAD USE FOR ANYMORE,
JUST THROWN AWAY

AND JUST DISCARDED
TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD...

THAT'S HORRIBLE.

Narrator: NOW, THE GARY FAMILY
PRAYS THEIR DAUGHTER

HASN'T SUFFERED THE SAME FATE.

Reporter: 17-YEAR-OLD
BRITTNEY GARY IS LAST SEEN

ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
AT A STORE.

HER MOTHER, TERESA GARY,

PLEADS FOR ANYONE WITH
INFORMATION TO COME FORWARD.

SO I'M ASKING ANYONE OUT THERE,
IF YOU HAVE SEEN BRITTNEY,

PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU.

PLEASE CALL ME.

Lauren:
I WAS ABOUT 11 WHEN I MET HER.

HER MOM AND MY DADDY
WERE FRIENDS,

AND THEY DID DRUGS TOGETHER.

HER MOTHER AND HER MOVED
INTO MY UNCLE BILLY'S CAMPER,

AND FROM THERE,
IT BECAME, LIKE, A SISTERHOOD.

SHE WOULD WEAR MY CLOTHES.

SHE WOULD TAKE BATHS.
SHE WOULD EAT WITH US.

WE WOULD PLAY GAMES,

DO ALL THINGS THAT GIRLS DO,
GOSSIP, YOU KNOW?

SHE WAS LIKE A BIG SISTER.

WE COULD TALK TO EACH OTHER
ABOUT ANYTHING,

NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS,

PROBLEMS, SECRETS,
IT DIDN'T MATTER.

EVEN MY DRUG PROBLEM.
I USED TO SNORT POWDER.

WHEN I STOPPED
SNORTING POWDER...

WHEN ME AND MY HUSBAND
GOT A DIVORCE,

AND I MOVED TO FLORIDA,
I STOPPED SNORTING POWDER,

AND THAT'S WHENEVER
I TRIED CRACK COCAINE.

YEP.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,

IT'S BEEN AN ON-AND-OFF THING
FOR A GOOD WHILE.

Narrator:
LIKE HER MOTHER, BRITTNEY ALSO
STRUGGLED WITH DRUG ADDICTION.

Velvet: THE AVERAGE TEENAGER
STARTS SMOKING WEED,

WANTS TO DRINK EARLY,
WANTS TO SMOKE CIGARETTES,

YOU KNOW,
AND WANTS TO FIT IN,

AND I THINK THAT'S
WHERE IT ALL STARTED.

Teresa:
WHEN MY DAUGHTER WENT MISSING
ON NOVEMBER THE 2nd,

I TOLD HER ALL DAY, "NO,"

SHE COULDN'T WALK
TO THE DOLLAR STORE.

WHY DID I DECIDE TO LET HER GO?

HOW DO YOU NOT LET YOUR DAUGHTER
WALK FIVE BLOCKS

AND GET HER SOME MINUTES
AT THE DOLLAR STORE

IN BROAD DAYLIGHT?

YOU'VE BEEN TELLING HER, "NO,"
ALL DAY, YOU KNOW?

YOU'VE BEEN WORKING AND CLEANING
THE HOUSE ALL DAY LONG, AND...

...SHE WANTED TO GO GET
HER MINUTES FOR HER PHONE,

AND SHE WAS DONE,
AND THE STORE WAS ABOUT TO CLOSE

IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

SO, WHEN SHE LEFT TO GO
TO THAT DOLLAR STORE

TO PUT HER MINUTES ON HER PHONE,
AND SHE DID NOT ANSWER

THAT PHONE WHEN I CALLED HER,
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

IT'S A MOTHER'S INSTINCT.

SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

Lauren:
THE LAST TIME I SAW BRITTNEY,

SHE WAS WALKING UP THE ROAD,
AND SHE WAS CRYING,

AND I ASKED HER WHAT WAS WRONG,
WHY WAS SHE CRYING.

AND SHE SAID IT WAS A DISPUTE
SHE HAD BETWEEN HER AND HER MOM.

THEY WAS ARGUING. WHATEVER.

SHE JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY
FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

I ASKED IF I COULD
GO WALK WITH HER.

SHE TOLD ME, "NO."

SHE WANTED TO BE ALONE.
SO I TOLD HER, "ALL RIGHT."

SHE SAID, "I'M GOING TO GET
A PHONE CARD. I'M COMING BACK."

MY AND MY LITTLE COUSIN ALI

WAS SITTING ON THE PORCH
AT THIS TIME.

SO WE TOLD HER, "ALL RIGHT."

BRITTNEY NEVER CAME BACK.

Schiering: THIS WEEKEND,
IT WILL BE TWO WEEKS

SINCE BRITTNEY GARY
WENT MISSING.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS SAY
THEY BELIEVE HER DISAPPEARANCE

IS LINKED TO THE DEATHS
OF SIX WOMEN

BECAUSE OF HER PREVIOUS
HIGH-RISK LIFESTYLE.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP.

EACH OF THE WOMEN WERE LEFT
IN RURAL JEFF DAVIS PARISH.

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING,
YOU ARE URGED TO CALL

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

ABOUT THE DEAD WOMEN
AND THE MISSING TEEN.

"3 ON THE STREET" TONIGHT,
MEGAN SCHIERING, KATC TV...

Teresa: I GOT OUT THERE
EVERY DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY,

EVENING, NIGHT,
ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT.

NO ONE FORMED A SEARCH PARTY.

I DID THAT.

HER SISTER, AUNTS, UNCLES,

BROTHERS, SISTER,
THE COMMUNITY, AND MY FAMILY.

Reporter: PEOPLE FROM ACROSS
THE FIVE-PARISH AREA

TEAMED UP ON HORSEBACK,
FOUR-WHEELERS AND ON FOOT,

SEARCHING JEFF DAVIS PARISH
FOR 17-YEAR-OLD BRITTNEY GARY.

WE LOOKED FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

I CAN REMEMBER
BEING IN THE VEHICLE

WITH MY NANNY,
MY OTHER COUSIN, AND HER MAMA.

WE'D ALL BE THERE
LOOKING FOR HER,

AND THEN I REMEMBER
WHEN THEY GOT THE PHONE CALL.

[ OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS ]

Reporter:
IT BEGAN AS A DAY OF HOPE

BUT ENDED
WITH A GRUESOME DISCOVERY.

SATURDAY, A BODY WAS FOUND
OFF HIGHWAY 1126

ON KEYSTONE ROAD NEAR ROANOKE.

WE DO BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS THE IDENTITY THAT,

THAT BRITTNEY IS THIS PERSON.

Reporter: AUTHORITIES DO REPORT
TATTOOS ON THE BODY

ARE A MATCH
OF THOSE OF BRITTNEY GARY.

Narrator:
WITH THE NEAR CERTAINTY

THAT THE REMAINS DISCOVERED
ARE BRITTNEY'S,

THE SEARCH IS CALLED OFF.

Reporter: HER UNCLE
OFFERED A TEARFUL THANKS

TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE
WHO HELPED SEARCH FOR HIS NIECE.

I JUST WANT TO LET Y'ALL KNOW
HOW MUCH WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE

WHAT YOU'VE COME OUT
AND DONE FOR US,

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SHE WAS LIKE THIS,
AND FROM WHAT YOU COULD SEE,

THERE WAS BLOOD AROUND HER.

HER CLOTHES IS RIPPED UP.
YEAH, I SAW IT.

I CAN REMEMBER IT
LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.

I SAW IT, AND MY NANNY MADE ME
GET BACK IN THE VEHICLE

BEFORE THEY FLIPPED
HER BODY OVER.

THEY TOLD ME THAT WHEN
THEY FLIPPED HER OVER,

HER FACE WASN'T THERE NO MORE.

IT'S KIND OF TRAUMATIZING
'CAUSE, LIKE,

WHEN YOU SEE
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LIKE,

I SEEN MY FRIEND LAID OUT DEAD.

DEAD.

SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL PERSON.

SHE DIDN'T DESERVE
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AT ALL,

AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

LIKE, WHY HER?

Reporter: JUST 17 YEARS OLD,
BRITTNEY IS THE YOUNGEST

ON A GROWING LIST OF VICTIMS
FOUND DEAD IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH

OVER THE PAST 3 1/2 YEARS.

AS INVESTIGATORS PRESS FORWARD
ON THIS UNSOLVED MYSTERY,

ANSWERS HAVE BEEN HARD
TO COME BY FOR THIS SMALL TOWN.

Velvet: I HAVE THIS...
I CALL IT MY BEANIE BOX.

AND THIS... I DON'T HAVE
ANY OF HER BELONGINGS,

BUT I HAVE STUFF FROM
HER FUNERAL LIKE A ROSE,

ANGEL WINGS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE DOVES,
A ROSE, CANDLES.

SHE HAD A CLOSED CASKET,
SO THIS WAS THE INSIDE OF IT.

I TOOK A PICTURE OF THAT,
HER AND HER 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY.

THIS IS ALL WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
IS MEMORIES AND PICTURES.

OUR LIVES WILL NEVER
BE THE SAME.

I WAS...
17 YEARS OF MY LIFE,

IT WAS SPENT RIGHT NEXT
TO HER, YOU KNOW?

AND SHE'S GONE.
I'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.

I'LL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER FRIEND
LIKE THAT, NEVER.

SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND.

NO ONE CAN REPLACE HER,
TAKE HER PLACE.

NOTHING IN THIS WORLD CAN MEAN
TO ME WHAT SHE MEANT TO ME.

Narrator:
WITH BRITTNEY'S DEATH,

THE COMMUNITY'S
GROWING FRUSTRATION

AT THE POLICE'S LACK OF PROGRESS
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS

BOILS OVER TO OUTRAGE.

Woman:
THAT'S RIGHT.

I WANT JUSTICE,
AND I'M GONNA GET IT.

I DON'T CARE IF IT TAKES ME
'TIL I DRAW MY LAST BREATH.

I'M GONNA GET IT
[CHUCKLES]

BECAUSE I WAS CHEATED,
AND SO WAS SHE.

Man: CHRIST, JESUS,
YOU WILL WATCH OVER HER

UNTIL THE END OF TIME.

WE SAY, "ASHES TO ASHES,
DUST TO DUST."

RETURN YE NOW BACK
TO THE LORD...

Narrator: NEXT TIME,
IN THE DRAMATIC CONCLUSION

OF "DEATH IN THE BAYOU,"

THE BODY COUNT
CONTINUES TO RISE.

Caiman: IT JUST SEEMED LIKE
EVERY TIME YOU TURNED AROUND,

IT WAS, LIKE,
ANOTHER GIRL, ANOTHER GIRL.

Reporter:
ANOTHER WOMAN REPORTED MISSING
IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH.

Narrator: AS POLICE SCRAMBLE
TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER...

YOU HAVE ALL ASKED WHETHER
OR NOT THIS IS A SERIAL KILLER.

Kindra: Y'ALL NEED TO GET
TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF THIS

BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPEN AGAIN.

Man: THIS IS THE SOUTH SIDE
OF THEM TRACKS.

YOU COME ACROSS THIS SIDE,
THEY DON'T WANT TO DO

A [BLEEP] DAMN THING.

Narrator:
MEANWHILE, FAMILY MEMBERS

CONTINUE THEIR HUNT
FOR THE TRUTH.

Woman: THERE WAS SOME ARGUMENT
IN THE TRUCK

AS TO, WAS IT A DEER,
OR WAS IT A BODY?

ANYBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND
COULD TELL THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN A DEAD DEER
AND A DEAD BODY.

BUT IN A TOWN FULL OF SECRETS,

CAN ANYONE BE TRUSTED?

Man #2: EVERYBODY POINTS
THE FINGER AT EVERYBODY,

AND YOU JUST END UP
NOT KNOWING WHO TO BELIEVE.

SHE SAID,
"IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME,

IT'S THE POLICE."

THEY WOULD BE GLAD TO PIN IT
ON ANYBODY THEY COULD.

I DON'T KNOW
WHO IS PROTECTING FRANKIE,

BUT HE'S DOING SOMETHING
VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR SOMEONE.

SOMEBODY IS HIDING
A MONSTER HERE.