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In May 2005, the first of the victims known as the “Jeff Davis Eight” was discovered. A fisherman, thinking he had found a mannequin floating near the Grand Marais Canal bridge, soon realized it was a body when he noticed the flies surrounding it. The victim was identified as 28-year-old Loretta Chaisson Lewis, a local sex worker, but law enforcement failed to find any leads on her murderer.
Lewis was tragically not the only victim; over the next four years, seven more women were murdered under strikingly similar circumstances: 30-year-old Ernestine Daniels, 21-year-old Kristen Lopez, 26-year-old Whitnei Dubois, 23-year-old Laconia Brown, 24-year-old Crystal Zeno, 17-year-old Brittney Gary, and 26-year-old Necole Guillory.
The question loomed: were these deaths the work of a serial killer? All the victims shared unsettling similarities: their youth, connections to sex work, struggles with addiction, and interactions with dubious characters. They had also reportedly spoken to law enforcement about previous murders, which may have put them in danger.
In December 2008, after the seven murders, a task force of federal, state, and local agencies was formed to investigate the killings, leading to media attention on Jennings, a town with a mere population of 10,000. Investigative journalist Ethan Brown began his own inquiry, culminating in a book and a Showtime docuseries titled “Murder in the Bayou,” which aired in 2019. Despite this effort, the killer remains at large.
Brown’s investigation challenges the idea of a single serial killer. He uncovered significant misconduct and corruption within local law enforcement, even implicating them in the murders. According to FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit research, serial killers typically have no identifiable connection to their victims, but these women were all intertwined.
The connections between the victims raise questions. Cousins Kristen Lopez and Brittney Gary, and former roommates Brittney Gary and Crystal Zeno, all frequented the same seedy motel in Jennings. Several had ties to local pimp Frankie Richard, who was charged in one case but ultimately had the charges dropped. Two other men were also charged in connection with one of the murders but faced similar outcomes due to mishandled evidence.
A disturbing pattern emerged: these women often provided information to law enforcement about previous murders only to end up dead themselves. Brown discovered that all eight victims were informants within the local drug trade.
Some residents even pointed fingers at law enforcement as being responsible for the murders. Necole Guillory, the final victim, reportedly expressed to her mother that the police were behind the killings. She had a premonition about her fate, saying, “It doesn’t matter — I’m not gonna be here” shortly before her murder. Fellow victim Laconia Brown had warned a witness that “three police officers were going to kill her.” Reports indicated that local jailers often exploited female inmates, including some of the victims, for sex.
The Jennings Police Department and Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office have a long history of corruption, including past drug trafficking involvement and serious misconduct. The situation has led to nearly 20 unsolved homicides in the area, a staggering statistic for a town of its size.
In 2007, Sergeant Jesse Ewing discovered that female inmates had vital information about the murders. Ewing, fearing for the integrity of his colleagues, shared audiotapes with a private investigator, which were then passed to the FBI. Ewing was later terminated and faced charges for misconduct, while the tapes and their contents remained largely undisclosed.
Brown’s investigation also revealed allegations involving Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany, suggesting connections between him and several victims. Despite public outcry, the local law enforcement agencies have shown little accountability, with the current sheriff’s office dismissing the past as irrelevant.
In 2020, the Promise of Justice Initiative called for a federal inquiry into the local law enforcement practices, citing a troubling history of incompetence and misconduct. The ongoing lack of justice for the Jeff Davis Eight underscores the pressing need for a thorough investigation into these cases.
These eight women deserve recognition and justice, regardless of their backgrounds. The letter from the Promise of Justice Initiative to the Justice Department highlighted the persistent issues of corruption within local law enforcement, which have allowed violence against women to thrive in the area.
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Summary
The “Jeff Davis Eight” refers to the unsolved murders of eight women in Jennings, Louisiana, between 2005 and 2009, with troubling connections to local law enforcement. Investigative journalist Ethan Brown’s work has revealed significant corruption and misconduct within the police, raising doubts about the official narrative of a serial killer. Despite ongoing calls for justice, the cases remain unresolved, highlighting the need for accountability in the face of systemic failure.
Keyphrase: Jeff Davis Eight murders
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