The first rule of FIGHT CLUB is: you don't talk about FIGHT CLUB. But on this minisode, we're breaking some rules to bring you a dose of Louisiana lore you won't want to miss!

Our special guest, Gerald Dupre, is here to share a rich and tangled family history. His grandfather may have fired the opening shots of the last legally sanctioned duel in Louisiana. That's right, we're talking about "I challenge you, sir!" with the slap of a glove and all the drama that entails. This same ancestor wasn't just a duelist; he was also an avid farmer with possible ties to the Cajun Mafia—spooky!

But Gerald, our guest, followed a distinctly different path. He spent over sixty years in the pharmaceutical industry, witnessing incredible changes and blessings throughout his long career.

So, to recap:

• Duels

• Mafia

• Drugs (the pharmaceutical kind, of course!)

• Oh, and the cotton gin!

Most importantly, lots of laughter along the way!

Dr. Jesse Goliath, a forensic anthropologist and Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University, established the Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons in 2023 after discovering the lack of a comprehensive state database. Using technology like ground-penetrating radar, his team identified Felecia Cox's remains, highlighting the need for better resources. The repository, containing over 1,600 missing persons' profiles and 220 unidentified remains, aims to address the underreporting of BIPOC cases, particularly in rural areas and reservations. Dr. Goliath emphasizes the disparity in how these cases are handled, the vulnerability of runaway youth and marginalized groups, and the importance of geospatial mapping to understand contributing factors like infrastructure and mental health access. As he highlights, "There are people dying because this work is not being done." We hope spreading awareness will ultimately help in advocating for increased funding, legislative changes, and further community engagement. Get in-touch with Dr. Jesse Goliath on his website

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UPDATE: the case of Jimmie Jay Lee has been closed. Please keep the friends and family in your thoughts.

With little help from the New Orleans Police Department, parents Scott and Sandy Easterling, hired their own P.I. to investigate what happened to their son, Samuel Easterling, who has been missing for over six months. Samuel (31) whose nickname is "Saint" is a professional photographer who was last seen walking alone in the Bywater area on August 29th, 2024, leaving Po Boys Bar around 4:44 AM. He was reported missing by a close contact on September 2nd. Video footage was not obtained soon enough, so anyone with information is encouraged to come forward. He had sustained an ankle injury and may or may not have been using crutches at the time of his disappearance.

New Orleans Police Department 504-658-6229

MPIA Database Entry # I-01384-24

Are women better at crime-ing? Experts have noted that female serial killers are the least studied and possibly the most prolific.

Joining us is debut author and Louisiana native, Emma C. Wells, here to discuss her novel, This Girl's A Killer, a USA Today bestseller, which follows Cordelia Black, a pharmaceutical rep with an affinity for Louboutin heels and killing the bad men of Baton Rouge. A true "girl's girl," she cares about her friends, she's organized, she has a "workstation" and a curated playlist, and she's been getting away with her crimes rather successfully. There's a lot to unpack here!

*Be sure to purchase your copy of This Girl's A Killer .

Also follow Emma on her website and socials!

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Willard Daspit Jr. has been missing September 10, 2023. His motorcycle was found crashed near his property on Bayou Alexander Highway in the Coteau Homes neighborhood of St. Martinville. His glasses were also found at the scene, which led his wife Lara, joining us today, to believe that her husband was in need of help as he is visually impaired. He is a mechanic who likes to repair things, so it was not uncommon for his bike to malfunction and for him to walk home. He left his phone as well as his truck, validating Lara's belief that her husband did not flee the scene. CCTV footage was released showing Bill walking around town about four miles from the accident, possibly injured.

Bill is 59 years-old, 5'10, 218 pounds with brown hair and peridot green eyes. Anyone with any information can contact the St. Martinville Sherrif's Office at 337-394-3071.

{Part 2} Re-joining us is our full panel from Part 1, here to discuss some updates in 2024 on the drownings in Lady Bird Lake. Particularly, a survivor Jeff Jones, who sustained life threatening injuries after falling off the bridge, just missing the Shoal Creek. The discovery of Rohypnol in his toxicology report fueled speculation about whether he fell or was pushed.

Rather than a targeted serial killer, the group posits that what if these men were not the intended victims. What if there is a conspiracy of drink spiking at the bars? What drug groups should be screened for and how do we better instruct the community to be cautious? Some key issues that were grazed: specialty tests are expensive and are rarely administered in drowning cases. If there is a drugging and/or date rape problem in Austin, there is a need for better toxicology screening and better surveillance for 'hot spots', along with participation from the community and the city on creating more awareness and better safeguards.

{PART 1} The string of Lady Bird Lake drownings have become a significant topic of discussion in Austin, Texas. The victims appear to be all men, mostly middle-aged who have gone out to eat with their families, celebrate promotions, bachelor trips, etc. only to have been found dead in the lake. None of the men showed signs of a struggle or assault and there has been no evidence to suggest robbery as a motive. In 2023, four men (Jason Johns, Clifton Axtell, Jonathan Honey, John Christopher Hays-Clark) were found in a short span between the months between February and April, which created a lot of media attention to suggest that perhaps these deaths were targeted attacks. Martin Gutierrez, another victim in 2018, was last seen on CCTV footage running out of bars, acting erratically. This led to speculation about potential drugging involvement.

*We have assembled a panel to help us center this conversation with different points of views.

Joining us from a past episode "The Cajun Death Investigator", is Toby Savoy, who highlights that drowning deaths are not abnormal in big cities, while explaining how drownings can present in autopsy and what drugs are routinely screened for in a toxicology report. We also have filmmaker, Magda Marcella, from the Facebook group Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer/ Rainey Street Killer, here to share her experience in working with the families of the victims and her map that depicts other suspicious drownings going back as far as 2008. We also have host, Dr. Michelle Jeanis, to weigh-in from the criminology perspective.

In this episode, prize-winning writer and professor, Lisa Nikolidakis, joins us to discuss her memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf: A Memoir, a brave and unflinching account of survival. Growing up in the shadow of a violent and abusive father, Lisa's childhood was abundant with fear and isolation. Her escape from this toxic environment was only the beginning of her journey.  As a young adult, a devastating murder-suicide shatters her world. Lisa as an adult later finds writing as a tool to confront a monstrously complex figure who shaped her life.  Lisa’s path for truth and self-discovery ultimately leads her on a trip to Greece where she finds truth in connecting with her heritage and the other half of her family for the first time.

In this discussion, we are able to graze the surface on some complex subjects like the hallmarks of abuse, the corrosive nature of secret keeping in families, the pain experienced by the secondary victims, the importance of self-healing, and what is needed to break these cycles.

Be sure to buy a copy of No One Crosses the Wolf : A Memoir here.

You can follow Lisa on her website and on Instagram.

If you or someone you know is being abused, you can reach out to advocates in the links below:

Research has shown that homicide is the second-leading cause of pregnancy related-deaths.

This episode sheds light on a troubling rate of homicides involving the pregnant and postpartum population in the United States, with a particular spike in 2020. Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, a board-certified OBGYN, joins the discussion to unpack the findings of her research. Some of those key findings showcase the disproportionate impact on Black women and girls, the prevalence of firearms in these homicides, and the alarming fact that pregnant and postpartum women face a 35% greater risk of homicide than their non-pregnant counterparts. Also touched upon is the potential role of intimate partner violence and why better reporting can result in better outcomes for all.

Guest Expert:

In 1948 in Mississippi, socialite Ruth Dickins is convicted of savagely attacking her mother with gardening shears (150 stab wounds!) but makes an unfounded claim that a Black intruder is to blame. Despite inconsistencies in her story, she's sentenced to life, only to be released after 6 years. Joining us to dissect this case of matricide, race, and privilege is author Beverly Lowry, who explores the crime in her book, Deer Creek Drive: A Reckoning of Memory and Murder in the Mississippi Delta. Unpacking the murky details, we'll delve into the role of white privilege, media portrayals of women, and lingering questions that still haunt the South and our justice system.

Be sure to purchase your copy of the book here.