Who were the victims of The Jeff Davis 8 murders? Details about the Crime Junkie podcast subject, explored

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The Jeff Davis 8 or the Jennings 8 are a group of eight women who were murdered in Jefferson Davis Parish in Louisiana between 2005 and 2009. The bodies of these women were found throughout Jennings, Louisiana, in different stages of decay.

The murders of the Jeff Davis 8 were the subject of the most recent episode of Crime Junkie on December 30, 2024. Crime Junkie, hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat and produced by AudioChuck, has been rated Apple Podcast's number 1 show for two consecutive years.

The murders of the Jeff Davis 8 have baffled authorities for over a decade now, with no clear perpetrator being identified. Read on to know more details about the victims.

Disclaimer: This article contains references to violence and nudity. Reader's discretion is advised.


The victims of The Jeff Davis 8 murders explored

The victims comprising the Jeff Davis 8 are:

The Jeff Davis 8 murder victims (Image via Crime Junkie Podcast)
The Jeff Davis 8 murder victims (Image via Crime Junkie Podcast)

1) Loretta Chaisson

This 28-year-old mother of two was the first victim to be discovered on May 20, 2005. Her body was discovered floating in a canal. Although decomposed, no clear bruises were visible, and she was later identified through her fingerprints. According to her brother, she was last seen in the company of a well-known pimp, Frankie Richard.

2) Ernestine Daniels Patterson

Ernestine, 30, was the second victim, whose body was also discovered floating in a canal on June 18, 2005. Ernestine's identification took almost two months because the body was practically unidentifiable due to decomposition and heavy bruising. Byron Chad Jones, who apparently had s*xual relations with her before she died, and his friend Lawrence Nixon were arrested for second-degree murder charges, but these were later dropped due to lack of evidence.

3) Kristen Gary Lopez

Kristen, 21, was discovered on March 18, 2007, over 10 days after she was reported missing and thus heavily decomposed. Her cause of death was determined to be drug intoxication, asphyxia, and drowning. She had several connections to the other victims, especially Loretta, and was even interviewed after her death. Frankie Richard, along with his niece and Kristen's friend, Hannah Conner, were charged with Kristen's death, which was later dropped due to lack of physical evidence.

4) Whitnei Dubois

In contrast to others, Whitnei, 26, was discovered along a rural road and was naked. Even though her body was found a day after she died, she had been badly beaten, making her unrecognizable. The cause and manner of her death could also not be determined, but she had close connections to Kristen.

5) Laconia "Muggy" Brown

Laconia's body was discovered on May 29, 2008, lying on a rural road, with several cuts around her neck and right ear and covered in bleach. The 23-year-old mother of one had a web of connections to all the previous victims, with her boyfriend Steinie being one of the last people to have seen Loretta alive.

Laconia was also rumored to have witnessed Byron and Lawrence, her cousin, kill Ernestine. She was reportedly paranoid before her death and had been expecting it. According to the podcast, a cryptic phone call from the coroner claimed the police were involved in Laconia's death.

6) Crystal Shay Benoit Zeno

Crystal's skeletal remains were found in the woods on September 11, 2008. She was 24 with one child and could only be identified through her DNA. She also had several connections with the previous victims.

7) Brittney Gary

At 17, she was the youngest victim and was Kristen's cousin. She was discovered lying facedown in the grass on November 15, 2008, two weeks after she was reported missing. She died of asphyxia, and there were no bruises. She was last known to have been in the company of Deputy Danny Berry of the Jefferson Davis Parish Jail, who had questionable s*xual tastes. He was later interviewed but never charged with anything.

8) Necole Jean Guillory

This 26-year-old was the last victim to be found, with minor cuts around her face. She was thought to have asphyxiated two days before her discovery. She had a web of connections with most of the other victims. She had witnessed Loretta being killed by Steinie and had been convinced of her own impending death.


What did the victims have in common?

The Jeff Davis 8 were all female murder victims (Image via Pexels)
The Jeff Davis 8 were all female murder victims (Image via Pexels)

The Jeff Davis 8 were all sex workers who struggled with cocaine addiction and often ran in the same circles. Some of them were also confidential informants for the local authorities. They had intertwining lives, and some of them had even witnessed previous murders.

Their deaths could be traced back to some common sources, either directly or indirectly, although no physical evidence was ever found. Despite a task force being formed, no concrete arrests could be made. According to the podcast, Frankie Richard was a prime suspect, but no evidence was ever found due to police involvement in the murders.


Catch all the details of the Jeff Davis 8 on Crime Junkie, streaming on all major platforms.