Crimes in Jefferson Davis Parish

Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis

Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis We love and miss her. She was a loving mother, wife, and daughter. If you have any information about her death, please let someone know. Thanks, Thomas Chaisson, Father of Loretta Date Body Found 5/20/2005 Race / Sex W / F Date of Birth 12/26/1976 Age at Death 28 Last Seen 5/17/2005 Height 5'4" Weight 103 Hair Color Brown Send a message to investigators

Ernestine Daniels Patterson

Ernestine Daniels Patterson Date Body Found 6/18/2005 Race / Sex B / F Date of Birth 9/11/1974 Age at Death 30 Last Seen 6/16/2005 Height 5'4" Weight 82 Hair Color Black Send a message to investigators

Kristen E. Gary Lopez

Kristen E. Gary Lopez Date Body Found 3/18/2007 Race / Sex W / F Date of Birth 11/27/1985 Age at Death 21 Last Seen 3/6/2007 Height 5'2" Weight 94 Hair Color Brown Send a message to investigators

Whitnei Charlene Dubois

Whitnei Charlene Dubois Date Body Found 5/12/2007 Race / Sex W / F Date of Birth 9/9/1980 Age at Death 26 Last Seen 5/10/2007 Height 5'3" Weight 101 Hair Color Brown Send a message to investigators

Laconia Shontell Brown

Laconia Shontell Brown Date Body Found 5/29/2008 Race / Sex B / F Date of Birth 1/25/1985 Age at Death 23 Last Seen 5/27/2008 Height 5'3.5" Weight 123 Hair Color Black Send a message to investigators

Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno

Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno How beautiful you are. Your smile is forever a reminder of how special you are. It has almost been a year, but it seems like yesterday that you were taken from us. If anyone has any information on my daughter's death, please come forward. Without closure, not knowing who could have done this is very frightening. I pray every day that God will give the task force what they need to solve these cases. Sarah Benoit, Mother Date Body Found 9/11/2008 Race / Sex W / F Date of Birth 7/24/1984 Age at Death 24 Last Seen 8/29/2008 Height 5'11" Weight 170 Hair Color Brown Send a message to investigators

Brittney Gary

Brittney Gary Date Body Found 11/15/2008 Race / Sex W / F Date of Birth 8/23/1991 Age at Death 17 Last Seen 11/2/2008 Height 5'0" Weight 130 Hair Color Brown Send a message to investigators

Necole Jean Guillory

Necole Jean Guillory Date Body Found 8/19/2009 Race / Sex W / F Date of Birth 8/28/1982 Age at Death 26 Last Seen 8/16/2009 Height 5'7" Weight 160 Hair Color Brown Send a message to investigators

More Information on Violent Offenders

Violent offenders often exhibit some noticeable behavioral changes following the commission of a crime. Often, members of the community will unknowingly be associated with the offender of a crime, and may observe behavioral changes in that person. While they will recognize the changes, and may even question the offender about such changes, but they may not recognize the relationship between such behavioral changes and the offender's involvement in the crimes. The following are behaviors and characteristics that the offender may exhibit:

• In reaction to heightened public awareness and intensive law enforcement investigation, the offender has changed his method of operation. For instance, the most recent victim's body was discarded off to the side of Interstate l0 in Acadia Parish. Previous victims' bodies were discarded off to the side of smaller, rural roads.
• The offender is likely to pay very close attention to the police investigation, media coverage and even private discussions pertaining to this series of murders.
• The offender is likely to have displayed increased nervousness in the time periods immediately following the murders and the body discoveries.
• The offender may have increased his use of drugs and/or alcohol to contend with the nervousness and experienced stress resulting from increased awareness and vigilance of both the police and the public.
• In the time period immediately following the murders and the body discoveries, the offender may have altered his daily routine. He may have left the area temporarily; he may have been absent from work, cancelled appointments and/or social engagements.
• The offender may have changed his mode of transportation, e.g., changed his vehicle, sold or claimed to have sold his vehicle, cleaned or had his vehicle cleaned, possibly including the vehicle's interior.
• The offender is someone with significant ties to the Jefferson Davis Parish area. He has demonstrated a strong familiarity with the area, and is someone known to residents there.
• The offender may have been seen in the area of Jennings known to be frequented by the missing ladies. He may have been, and perhaps still visits this area of Jennings.

The Task Force encourages anyone with information to contact them at 337 824-6662. EVEN IF IT IS THOUGHT THAT THE INFORMATION IS UNIMPORTANT OR HAS BEEN REPORTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PREVIOUSLY, PLEASE CALL: YOURS MAY BE THE CALL THAT SAVES LIVES.

Agencies Participating in the Multi-Agency Investigative Team

Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office Jennings Police Department 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office 31st Judicial District Attorney’s Office Louisiana State Police

Louisiana Probation & Parole Louisiana Attorney General’s Office FBI SW LA Crime Lab Louisiana State Police Crime Lab FBI Crime Lab FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit

Press Conference Transcript

The agencies comprising the Multi-Agency Investigative Team have called you here today to provide you with an update regarding where we are in the investigation, to give you facts as we have them, and to announce an increase in the reward that is being offered. We will take no questions today and we thank you for your continued efforts to release factual information not opinions or gossip.

Representatives of each agency of the Investigative Team are here and will provide you with information regarding their involvement in this investigation. Although all agencies are independent, each has made all of its resources available in support of other Investigative Team agencies as needed.

I would like to introduce you to:

• Special Agent in Charge David Welker, FBI, New Orleans Office
• Captain Barry Branton, LA State Police
• Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso
• Jennings Police Chief Johnny Lassiter
• Acadia Parish Sheriff Wayne Melancon
• Director of Investigations Mike Thompson, Louisiana Dept. of Justice

As you know, there are other agencies involved in this investigation that could not be here with us today. There are also many people behind the scenes who work on this case 24/7 along with us here in Jennings.

This investigation pertains to the murders of Loretta Chaisson Lewis, Ernestine Daniels Patterson, Kristen Gary Lopez, Whitnei Dubois, Laconia “Muggy” Brown, Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno, Brittney Gary, and Necole Guillory. I use the term “murder” because we are treating them all as murders unless we can prove otherwise. As we have stated in previous releases, it is the collective opinion of all agencies involved in this investigation that these murders may have been committed by a common offender. For that reason, the label “serial murder” is applicable; however, we have not used that label when referring to this investigation because it does not benefit us in our goals to identify and apprehend the offender, nor does it prevent further loss of life. Labels are sometimes confusing and are subject to misinterpretation.

A number of individuals have been considered possible suspects or persons of interest in the course of this investigation. None of these people have been ruled out completely and they continue to be on the Investigative Team’s “radar”. At this time, we do not have a particular suspect who we are focusing on exclusively; therefore we will continue to consider other suspects.

This investigation is ongoing. Investigators have followed nearly 1,000 leads, interviewed approximately 500 people and fielded countless telephone calls providing information on these cases. Some of the information received in the course of this investigation has lead to progress in other unrelated cases such as narcotic and burglary cases.

All available resources from our federal, state and local agencies have been continuously applied in the investigation of these murders.

The reward for information that leads to the arrest and successful prosecution of the person responsible for these murders has been increased from $35,000 to $85,000. The reward money is being offered by the Jefferson Davis Parish District Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Lamar Advertising has partnered with us to use electronic and paper billboards in SW Louisiana.

There have been more than 48,000 investigative hours logged in this case. We are working collectively as a team with the shared and mutual goals of bringing closure for the families of Loretta, Ernestine, Kristen, Whitnei, Muggy, Shay, Brittney and Necole, and bringing the responsible party to justice. Additionally, since November 2008, the Investigative Team has been tasked to find approximately 30 females who were reported missing.

Collectively, law enforcement has been working on these cases for over 4 years. Investigators have covered and then re-checked leads upon entering them into the FBI’s lead management system. Investigations of this type make up less than 1% of all crimes. They are complex, arduous and time consuming. The Investigative Team members have worked around the clock, sometimes spending many days and nights away from their families to do so. I want to personally thank all of the men and women who have worked extremely hard and will continue to work hard until this case is successfully resolved. I would also like to thank the families of these men and women who support their law enforcement members.

As I previously mentioned, all of these independent agencies are joined in support of the investigation centered at the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office. We speak with one voice and will bring the offender to justice as one TEAM. The complete facts and evidence gathered thus far are only known to law enforcement. The integrity of this investigation must not be compromised by disclosing evidence and/or other investigative results.

We ask that the public contact the Investigative Team with any facts, suspicions or other information about these crimes. We want the public to understand that the Investigative Team is the ONLY appropriate recipient of such information. We are aware of others who have represented themselves as cooperating with the Investigative Team in the investigation; such is NOT the case. We are unable to confirm whether all information is being relayed. Reporting case information to individuals who are not members of the Investigative Team could delay or even prevent that information from being acted upon. This could result in irreparable harm to the investigation, and possibly in further loss of life.

Our other partners in this investigation are you, the citizens of Jennings, Jefferson Davis Parish, and all of the surrounding towns and parishes. We have had a tremendous response from the public and we ask for your continued support. If you have any information on any of these cases, or that you think may be helpful to the investigation, please call. Even if you think your information is unimportant, or that someone else has reported what you know, please contact us. Your call may be the one that helps us to solve these cases. Our tip-line is (337) 824-6662, our website is http://www.jeffdaviscrimes.net. Thank you.

Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff Ricky Edwards Jr.; Jennings Police Chief Johnny Lassiter; Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso; Special Agent in Charge David Welker, FBI; Captain Barry Branton, LA State Police; Acadia Parish Sheriff Wayne Melancon
Captain Barry Branton, LA State Police	Special Agent in Charge David Welker, FBI
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso	Acadia Parish Sheriff Wayne Melancon