INFAMOUS: The Jeff Davis 8
Between 2005 and 2008, eight women are killed in and around the small town of Jennings, Louisiana. Rumors of a serial killer on the loose are met with apathy by local law enforcement, possibly due to the corruption that’s broken the trust between the public and the forces meant to protect them. Over a decade later, the question still remains: who killed the Jeff Davis 8?
Listened to this episode? Let us know what you think here.
The Jeff Davis 8. From top left to right: Loretta Chaisson, Ernestine Patterson, Kristen Gary Lopez, and Whitnei Dubois. From bottom left to right: Laconia “Muggy” Brown, Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno, Brittney Gary, and Necole Guillory.
Photos found here
Timeline:
May 20, 2005
May 20, 2005
Loretta Chaisson’s body is found in a local canal.
June 18, 2005
June 18, 2005
Ernestine Patterson’s body is found in a drainage ditch.
March 18, 2007
March 18, 2007
Kristen Gary Lopez’s body is found.
May 12, 2007
May 12, 2007
Whitnei Dubois’ body is found at an intersection of two secluded dirt roads.
May 29, 2008
May 29, 2008
Laconia “Muggy” Brown’s body is found.
September 11, 2008
September 11, 2008
A body is found in a ditch along a road, which is later identified as Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno.
November 15, 2008
November 15, 2008
Another body is found in the search for Brittney Gary, and two days later it is confirmed to be her.
August 19, 2009
August 19, 2009
Necole Guillory’s body is found along I-10.
Jennings, Louisiana
Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana
Please contact the authorities if you have any information:
If you have any information about the deaths of: Loretta Chaisson, Ernestine Patterson, Kristen Gary Lopez, Whitnei Dubois, Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno, Laconia “Muggy” Brown, Brittney Gary, or Necole Guillory, please contact the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-275-8188, or contact them online at JDPSO.org/crime-tip.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- Brown, Ethan. (2019). Murder in the Bayou : Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8? Scribner.
- Murder in the Bayou (All Episodes). Aired September-October 2019. Accessed September 13 and 24, 2024 via Paramount Plus. https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/murder-in-the-bayou/
- Medium: Who killed the Jeff Davis 8?, by Ethan Brown. Published January 30, 2014. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://medium.com/matter/who-killed-the-jeff-davis-8-d1b813e13581
- The Washington Post (Washington, D.C.): ‘Murder in the Bayou’: A docuseries about eight unsolved murders aims to expose police corruption, by Deanna Paul. Published October 11, 2019. Accessed September 24, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2019/10/11/murder-bayou-how-show-about-eight-unsolved-killings-attempts-expose-police-corruption/
- 10 KLFY (Lafayette, LA): Body of Woman Found in Jeff Davis Parish Identified. Published May 21, 2005. Accessed September 24, 2024 via Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20050526053954/http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?s=3376159
- The News-Star (Monroe, LA): Officials seek answers in Jennings, by Jason Brown. Published November 28, 2005. Accessed September 24, 2024, via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/225651242
- The Times (Shreveport, LA): Jennings man pleads not guilty in woman’s death, by Associated Press. Published April 23, 2006. Accessed September 24, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/219500024
- Southwest Daily News (Sulphur, LA): Fourth woman’s body found in Jeff Davis, by Associated Press. Published May 15, 2007. Accessed September 24, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1038462654
- The News-Star (Monroe, LA): Sheriff suspects deaths are related. Published May 16, 2007. Accessed September 24, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/225701591
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): 2 held in woman’s homicide, by Kyle Jackson. Published May 17, 2007. Accessed September 24, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/536448418
- Daily World (Opelousas, LA): Arrests made in death of Jennings woman, by Associated Press. Published May 18, 2007. Accessed September 24, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/228960349
- The News-Star (Monroe, LA): Police: Teen girl missing for a week, by Associated Press. Published November 9, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/226103616
- Daily World (Opelousas, LA): 6th Jefferson Davis Parish body identified, by Michael Kunzelman. Published November 12, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/229170177
- The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA): Slayings ‘a big puzzle’, by Tina Marie Macias. Published November 16, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/360141746/
- The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA): Family fears body may be missing girl, by Tina Marie Macias. Published November 16, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/360141746/
- The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA): Local Officers keep close eye on Jeff Davis Parish killings, by Mandy M. Goodnight. Published November 16, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/360141746/
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Fund set up for Jennings victim, by Tina Marie Macias. Published November 20, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/536870762
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Task force begins hunt, by Shay Randle. Published December 19, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/537006370/
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Victims’ families express frustration, seek justice, by Shay Randle. Published December 19, 2008. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/537006370/
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Sheriff offers reward in Jennings killings, by Shay Randle. Published January 30, 2009. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/322285046/
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Body found along I-10, by Jeff Moore. Published August 20, 2009. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/321919258
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): An eighth mystery, by Tina Marie Macias. Published August 21, 2009. Accessed September 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/321920330
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Cause of death released, by Tina Marie Macias. Published August 22, 2009. Accessed September 26, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/321921553
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Officials confirm serial killings, by Tina Marie Macias. Published October 29, 2009. Accessed September 26, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/321933321
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): To catch a killer, by Tina Marie Macias. Published December 27, 2009. Accessed September 26, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/321946153
- The New York Times (New York, NY): 8 Deaths in a Small Town, and Much Unease, by Campbell Robertson. Published January 1, 2010. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/02/us/02serial.html
- WWLTV (New Orleans, LA): Jennings 8: Unsolved murders haunt town, police, by Mike Perlstein. Published January 30, 2014. Updated January 31, 2014. Accessed September 26, 2024 via Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20140302002125/http://www.wwltv.com/news/eyewitness/mikeperlstein/Jennings-8-242812251.html
- 7 KPLC (Lake Charles, LA): Jeff Davis 8: Why A.G. Buddy Caldwell doesn’t intervene, by Theresa Schmidt. Published February 7, 2014. Updated March 9, 2014. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.kplctv.com/story/24658592/jeff-davis-8-why-ag-buddy-caldwells-doesnt-intervene/
- The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA): Authorities prove new leads in unsolved deaths, by Amanda McElfresh. Published May 21, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/432255529
- Death in the Bayou: The Jennings 8 (Docuseries). 2019. Accessed September 27, 2024 via Discovery Plus. https://www.discoveryplus.com/show/death-in-the-bayou-the-jennings-8
- A&E: The Jeff Davis 8: Exploring the Unsolved Murders of Sex Workers in a Small Town, by Adam Janos. Published September 16, 2019. Updated October 13, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/jeff-davis-8-interview-ethan-brown-murder-in-the-bayou
- Oxygen: Who Are The Key Players In ‘Murder In The Bayou,’ A Docu-Series About A Small Town’s 8 Murder Victims?, by Jill Sederstrom. Published September 20, 2019. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/murder-in-the-bayou-who-are-the-jeff-davis-8-key-players
- Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office (Jennings, LA): Ernestine Daniels Patterson. Published n.d. Accessed December 9, 2024.
https://www.jdpso.org/hot-cases/ernestine-daniels-patterson - Ancestry (unk): Jermaine L. Washington. Published n.d. Accessed December 10, 2024 via Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7545/records/649354617?tid=&pid=&queryId=0c12a19a-e3f6-4456-8d7a-03a2c6fbf449&_phsrc=UxH333&_phstart=successSource
- KPLC (Lake Charles, LA): Kyle Miers sworn in as Jeff Davis Parish sheriff by Halle Jefferson. Published July 1, 2024. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://www.kplctv.com/2024/07/02/kyle-miers-sworn-jeff-davis-parish-sheriff/
Suggested Episodes
INFAMOUS: Highway 20
Over several decades, women and girls have encountered a monster whose full reign of terror might not even be fully known. He hunted his own backyard, the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, and there could be victims out there that have yet to be discovered.
INFAMOUS: The Lake Waco Murders Part 2
A community demands answers when three teenagers are found brutally slain in a scenic lakeside park, and it breathes a collective sigh of relief as righteous local lawmen quickly zero in on the perpetrators.
INFAMOUS: The Lake Waco Murders Part 1
A community demands answers when three teenagers are found brutally slain in a scenic lakeside park, and it breathes a collective sigh of relief as righteous local lawmen quickly zero in on the perpetrators.
Join our Fan Club to listen to this episode and more!
Unlock all of the exclusive benefits and dynamic listening experience as a Crime Junkie Fan Club member.
Join the Fan Club now to reap the rewards!
