Brandon Scott Lavergne - Guilty Plea and LWOP

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Though we don't expect any rain until late in the day on Saturday, we want to assure everyone in Acadiana that the Community Celebration in Honor of Mickey Shunick and the bike ride afterward is 100% ready to go, rain or shine. So maybe pack a umbrella or poncho just in case, but don't let grey skies keep you away from what we know is going to be an unforgettable event. Anyway, Mickey never let the rain stop her from having a great time, and neither should we.

Photo of 'Mighty Mick' on top of the Mountain

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...3x403/384168_389515137784397_1323895950_n.jpg

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jXrmAKBBTU"]Vince Gill - Go Rest High On That Mountain - YouTube[/ame]
 
Jkg005, I prolly spent an hour searching for the article, couldn't find it but do remember reading something to that effect. Imo, due to the awareness created in Mickey Shunick's investigation, the inmates finally realized that they had the important missing shard of the broken crystal vase...in Lisa Pate's case..


http://theadvocate.com/home/3654827-125/lavergne-pleads-guilty-in-two
Lavergne Pleads Guilty in Shunick, Pate Murders

Stutes gave this account in court of the Pate killing:

Lavergne met Pate in Lafayette and later met up with her at a Lafayette hotel, where he persuaded her to go another area outside the city.

The two spent several days together before Pate told Lavergne that she no longer wished to remain with him and wanted to go back to Lafayette to see her children. Lavergne refused to return her to Lafayette and she lacked the money and resources to return on her own.

When Pate attempted to secretly take Lavergne’s keys and wallet to leave, Lavergne tackled and beat her.

Lavergne, who was later arrested and jailed for a separate sex offense, had narrated details of killing Pate to his fellow inmates, according to Stutes. Stutes said they were prepared to testify that Lavergne told them he had choked and killed Pate using a plastic bag over her head.

After killing Pate, Stutes said, Lavergne then moved her body behind the home of a former acquaintance in an attempt to place suspicion on the acquaintance and deflect any suspicion away from himself.

Pate’s body was found covered by wood on Sept. 21, 1999, in Acadia Parish. Lavergne had been a person of interest in that as early as 2000. Prosecutors brought Lavergne before a grand jury in 2008 but the grand jury declined to take action in the case.

He was not formally charged in Pate’s killing until last month, when a Lafayette Parish grand jury returned first-degree murder indictments against Lavergne in the deaths of Shunick and Pate.


Stutes said there are no other pending charges against Lavergne in Lafayette, but the prosecutor declined to speculate on whether Lavergne has been implicated in any crimes in other jurisdictions.

snipped - read more-

Foxfire thanks for looking for it. I would imagine the inmate was a big part of the evidence but it is troublesome as some may not have believed him since he himself was a criminal. Guess it would depend on why he was in jail as to whether he would be believable or not. Maybe some day we will find out more. As Chicken said it is just so hard to let it go especially if it could have saved lives that were taken after Lisa's death. Depending on when they were cell mates there would have been plenty of time for the inmate to come forward with his information. IMO there should be some type of reward system available whereas more inmates would be more forthcoming with information they hear from other inmates regarding these types of crimes. Maybe his testimony would have been enough to get the indictment from the GL in Lisa's case a whe lot sooner and Mickey would still be here. Oh how this just makes me sick and sad. RIP Mickey and Lisa.
 

Unknown among this data set of exonerated inmates is when were they convicted. Many of the 80 or current La death row inmates were convicted and sentenced prior to the advent of modern DNA testing. Now DNA is commonly used as much as an exculpatory tool as one for determining guilt. As I recall, CODIS databanks became functional around 10 years ago, perhaps as early as 2000. (IMO, given the way Evangeline Ph handled BSLs sexual assault case and given the following, it is unlikely that BSLs sperm made the CODIS database). At that time, crime labs, particularly in La., had backlogs that took years to get samples processed. Private labs sprouted to help, but in many cases were cost prohibitive. Recently, within the past few years, the La State Lab has added significant staff to DNA research. Hopefully, in the future, with DNA now being a standard LE tool, we'll see few conviction errors. However, until those convicted pre-DNA are no longer incarcerated, that possibility will exist....

I don't know about anyone else but I would be more than willing to pay an additional tax to help cover the cost of getting the CODIS database caught up. For every wrongly convicted person incarcerated there is still a criminal on the loose continuing his evil acts and there is family waiting for the innocent to be set free.
 
Foxfire thanks for looking for it. I would imagine the inmate was a big part of the evidence but it is troublesome as some may not have believed him since he himself was a criminal. Guess it would depend on why he was in jail as to whether he would be believable or not. Maybe some day we will find out more. As Chicken said it is just so hard to let it go especially if it could have saved lives that were taken after Lisa's death. Depending on when they were cell mates there would have been plenty of time for the inmate to come forward with his information. IMO there should be some type of reward system available whereas more inmates would be more forthcoming with information they hear from other inmates regarding these types of crimes. Maybe his testimony would have been enough to get the indictment from the GL in Lisa's case a whe lot sooner and Mickey would still be here. Oh how this just makes me sick and sad. RIP Mickey and Lisa.

Jkg005, in the article, I believe it said inmates. Imo, the cellmate may have been unaware of the identity of the victim; Lisa Pate. The cellmate knew of Lisa being suffocated with the plastic bag. The plastic bag was hold back information/evidence by the LE/investigators, and the killer, imo.
The killer; Brandon Lavergne, would have been the only person privy to this info..

Jkg005, it was mentioned in a msm article by the newly elected Sheriff of the parish where Lisa Pate's remains were located that her case had been reopened, shortly after BSL's arrest. The Sheriff mentioned in the article that one of his priorities was to insure that his investigators were properly trained in crime scene and other investigative procedures. Imo, this statement by the new Sheriff, spoke volumes.

Jkg005, yes it is sad, very sad...Guess, many times lessons learned, comes at a very steep price..
 
jkg005, in addition to Foxfire's post, The Independent reported the day after the plea agreement:

Though Lavergne was initially uncooperative with officials, Stutes says the "bombshell of a double indictment" likely weighed heavily on his decision to cooperate. "He hit the wall at some point", the prosecutor says. Stutes would not say what additional evidence the state had in the Pate case that helped secure an indictment this time around.

Thanks I must have missed that one but makes sense. Regardless of why BSL confessed whether remorse of self preservation the IMO it was very much needed and it lead LE to BRING MICKEY HOME. closure for Lisa's family and BSL off the streets.
 
OT, I'm afraid, but . . . :):) Chicken Fried, I'm so happy to see you're semi-okay! All on Websleuths have been worried about the locals, the hurricane coming so closely after all the tragedy of the previous few months. I, like you and many others here, have been totally ding-dongy, cranky, & crying like a baby over this tragedy. Then all the emotions from Aug. 18, 2008 to April of 2009 came flooding back, the months my child was missing. I, as I know all did, wanted things to turn out so differently for Mickey. And I've had such a hard time accepting that they didn't. As a mother, I had my miracle, why didn't Nancy? It's truly been amazing to see the grace of the Shunicks. And yet, their pain will linger on forever.

I hope you get to feeling better, Chicken Fried, and that's truly from the heart. I feel I know you all and although tomorrow is to be a true celebration for a tiny little hero, I know you locals and others traveling there will celebrate her life in true "Mickey" style. Those of us who didn't get to meet Mickey in person have come to know her in our hearts. That's largely due to the lovely locals who shared her with us and yes, we came to love Mickey, the Shunicks and all of you down there.

My tears I have to admit, have flowed all summer and I just can't seem to get out of this dump, and my feelings can't even compare with those of Nancy and Toms' . . . I know this. But all of us here will in time heal, not ever forgetting the efforts of the family, community and our community on Websleuths to find everyone's child and bring her home. She's home now, not as we wanted, but she lives in everyone's heart. So celebrate tomorrow all of you, I'm taking the liberty of saying IMO everyone on WS's that couldn't be there are with you!

And if any of you see Nancy, Tom, Charlie or Zack if possible, give them a hug if inclined. Love and a hug never hurts anyone, especially now. And when the night draws near, you go to your homes, hug your loved ones, and yes, your animals too. Mickey would! Because you never know when you'll see them last.

Goodnight and good morning and all of you take care of yourselves and have a wonderful and joyful day! Then when it's over we can't forget the other Mothers looking for their children to come home, because every missing person is someone's child. Your help is invaluable to the missing of America.

I so apologize for being so maudlin this morning. My emotions have been all over the place and haven't been able to sleep.

________________
:angel::grouphug::angel:

Thanks for the beautiful post!!!!!! Mickey was weighing heavy on my heart, as she often does, yesterday so after work I drove down her path and let my tears flow for her and her family, friends and the Mickey Nation. Words can't describe how it felt.
 
384168_389515137784397_1323895950_n.jpg


This picture made me smile. Then it made me sad. Wish I could be there x
 
The picture above is so sad...

I wonder how bsl would react to watching this broadcast of the celebration.
Probably emotionless.
 
384168_389515137784397_1323895950_n.jpg


This picture made me smile. Then it made me sad. Wish I could be there x


Thanks for that beautiful picture of Mickey - looks like the Grand Canyon.

Makes me not care about staying out in the rain, and I hate rain.
 
Thanx for the kind words, chicken fried.. Once the thunderstorm subsides, the sun will shine through...

The Community Celebration in Honor of Mickey Shunick, is rain or shine, chicken fried.. a fiberglass umbrella will work just fine...
I would luv to be there, and will be there in spirit. The celebration will be a very spiritual experience for all of those that attend.


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...8650.674216621&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf

I will be there and with y'alls permission representing the WS Community as well!

P.S. Been so long since I've posted, took me a few seconds to remember how to boldface text.

Rain or Shine, we're going to have fun!!
 
So anyone who sees me can flag me down, look for an old silver '70s 4-door lincoln "hoopty" with a disintegrated gray vinyl top and a 6-inch-tall black fleur-de-lis hood ornament standing up on top of the grille. The hoopty is longer than a Suburban, so you'll know it if you see it. I don't remember where you can park there, but it's probably the parking structure. I'll leave a note under the windshield wiper.

Let's all show our best for a warm send-off for Mickey!
 
I'm not going to stay for the bands - bad hip & back - but I'm going to try to borrow a bike and come back for the ride. Haven't been on a bike since the hip replacement but now's as good a time as any. I am wondering if the police will be escorting the bike ride? I bet they will hold up traffic at the lights.
 
It rained this morning here in Lafayette. It's holding off for now. Radar shows big slug of hard rain coming up from Galveston.... may hold off until just after the speeches. Bands may be rained out. Bikers will go regardless, knowing bikers.
 
Laura, she looks like a beautiful butterfly on that mountaintop.

Every person taken and killed is just as important. Being from Bloomington, I searched for Lauren all last summer.

Mickey is that type of person who in another era, under a different regime, might be put forward for sainthood.

Qualities:

A love and tenderness for animals shows a heart that cares for creatures who cannot speak for themselves.

Her advocation of cycling shows a mind that cares for the environment and Mother Nature's bestowals

Her courage in fighting the Devil, and leaving her mark on him to help reclaim not only the other(s) but saving the lives of people he may have killed in the future.

Her courage in fighting the Devil, and leaving her mark on him may put other serial killers
at bay, even for awhile, thus saving the lives of countless unaware potential victims.

And by fighting this evil man, this personification of Satan on earth, she instills this in others, the courage not to just surrender to evil, but fight it to the death.

Mickey is the saint I have wanted to pray to all of my life, down to the little pipe she had. I know you guys down there make up your own saints all the time, like St. Expedite. Someone should make St. Mickey medals.
 
ok I just realized if you made her St. Michaela, that would be like St. Michael the Archangel. St. Michael supposedly could appear as a man or a woman.
Then, she would be a saint from within a saint, like the trinity.
It's like a spark turning into the flaming sword. What if every community got
involved in solving these crimes like Acadiana? It would definitely make a huge difference to these killers. As we see on this board, there are many examples of these killers taking advantage of public unawareness.
 
I'm not going to stay for the bands - bad hip & back - but I'm going to try to borrow a bike and come back for the ride. Haven't been on a bike since the hip replacement but now's as good a time as any. I am wondering if the police will be escorting the bike ride? I bet they will hold up traffic at the lights.

Chicken, if you lookin for a bike...I could hook you up. I'll sure be searchin for that hoopty! :floorlaugh:

It's time...Gotta go, gotta go!
 
Chicken, if you lookin for a bike...I could hook you up. I'll sure be searchin for that hoopty! :floorlaugh:

It's time...Gotta go, gotta go!

A bike would be great. Hey, I'm wearing black work boots, dark blue jeans, long-sleeve black button-down, white stripes, untucked. Sorry I didn't communicate earlier! Hope to see you there.
 
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