1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Hey, listeners, Jessica here. Be sure to check out new 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: episodes of Undetermined every Tuesday for free wherever you get 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: your podcasts. For early and ad free listening, check out 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: Tenderfoot plus on Apple Podcasts. The views and opinions expressed 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: in this podcast are solely those of the individuals interviewed 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: and participating in the show, and do not represent those 7 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: of Tenderfoot TV and Resonate Recordings. All individuals described or 8 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: mentioned in the podcast should be considered innocent until found 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: guilty in a court of law. This podcast contains subject 10 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: matter such as violence and graphic descriptions, which may not 11 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: be suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised. 12 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: You wanna, let's just maybe walk up to the tracks 13 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 2: and look and see like that vandage point, and then 14 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: we'll walk down to where she was bound. 15 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: This investigation has taken us many places and led us 16 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: all around the city of New Orleans. Well. One place 17 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: we've spent a lot of time in is the area 18 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: where Jessica's body was found back in August of twenty nineteen. 19 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: As you walk down Kenilworth Street and look over at 20 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: the rows of houses, it makes you wonder could one 21 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 1: of Jessica's two thousand plus neighbors have seen something? Could 22 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: they know something? Could there still be evidence hidden somewhere 23 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: in the small field where her body laid. There's a 24 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: lot to take in here and a lot of things 25 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: to consider. All right, let's walk this way. But on 26 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: this day, what has our attention is the street sign 27 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: at the intersection of Orleans Avenue in Kenilworth Street, just 28 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: a short walk from the field where Jessica's body laid, 29 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: A roadside memorial inside a rather upscale neighborhood, it seems 30 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: out of place. Sticking out from the ground is a 31 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: large wooden cross bearing Jessica's name. A neighbor actually made 32 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: it and placed it there. Tied to the bottom of 33 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: the cross are a teddy bear and a bundle of 34 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: pink and purple silk flowers. Just above the memorial, Attached 35 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: to the pole is a custom flyer, giving a little 36 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: more context to any unknowing passers by. It's faded from 37 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: the unrelenting New Orleans sun. 38 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 2: The plastic sign is now bent and just kind of 39 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 2: waving in the breeze. It's almost somber out here by itself. 40 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 3: It's very sad it's got the crime stoppers number. What 41 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 3: happened to Jessica Easterly And contrary to. 42 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: The memorial, the flyer was actually Audrey's doing. She figured 43 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: if anyone had any information, there was a good chance 44 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: they'd be a resident of Lakeview. Her hope was that 45 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: posting signs around the neighborhood would maybe open some doors 46 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: or at the very least bring awareness to her sister's case. 47 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: You can definitely say they got people's attention. 48 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 4: I remember the missing posters going around, and I was like, 49 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 4: nobody goes missing in Lakeview. That's something that happens on 50 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 4: like dateline. I never would have thought it would have 51 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 4: happened like in my little niche family neighborhood. 52 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 5: We're still like, how did this happen here? Like? What 53 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 5: did we miss? 54 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 4: I just feel very strongly because it's my neighborhood, and 55 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 4: because I have become friends with Audrey, that I feel 56 00:03:54,120 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 4: like I'm not going to stop until something is done. 57 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: When Audrey came up with the idea of posting signs 58 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 1: around the Lakeview neighborhood, with similar posts made across social 59 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: media platforms, she didn't know if anything would ever come 60 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: of it. All. She knew is she was in a 61 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: position where she felt she needed help from anyone willing. 62 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: The old adage it takes a village right true in 63 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: many cases, and certainly true in this one. Because those 64 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: signs Audrey posted did have an effect on some locals. 65 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: How could it not. This type of thing doesn't happen 66 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: in a neighborhood like lake. 67 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 4: Lakeview is one of the safest neighborhoods in New Orleans. 68 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 4: That's one of the reasons why I moved here. 69 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: This is Laura, a Lakeview resident. 70 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 4: I grew up Uptown, and then when I got married 71 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 4: and decided to have kids, we moved to Lakeview because, 72 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 4: as you can see right now in the afternoon, people 73 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 4: are out walking their dogs, kids ride their bikes. It's 74 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 4: a very family friendly neighborhood. Like completely, you can feel 75 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 4: safe here. You can walk everywhere. That's why I like 76 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:27,239 Speaker 4: living here. 77 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: We're seated under the shade of a carefully groomed tree, 78 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 1: just outside a favorite neighborhood spot, Nola Bean coffee shop. 79 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: Across the street, bells ring at each new hour, drowning 80 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: out the traffic, just in front of a large stone church. 81 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: It's an idyllic setting. Again, not the kind of place 82 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: where something like this would happen. 83 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 4: I remember the missing posters going around. I think it 84 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 4: was like August eleventh. They're twelve when they're out. And 85 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 4: then like I saw a Facebook post and next door posts, 86 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 4: and so I started like reaching out to people that 87 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 4: were posting stuff, just like asking him to know her, let's, 88 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 4: you know, do a search thing. And then before you 89 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 4: can get anything together, her sister found her body. And 90 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 4: then I was like, been involved with that ever since, 91 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 4: because I have friends that are like, Laura, why are 92 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 4: you involved you, Harley, You didn't even know her, you 93 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 4: never even met Her'm like, I know it didn't, but 94 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 4: I was like there's something in me that I'm like 95 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 4: I have to be her voice. So like I just 96 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 4: feel like I was have to do something like if 97 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 4: that was my sister or my mom or a friend, 98 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 4: like I would hope people would do the same for me. 99 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: When the preschool teacher first learned that Jessica was missing, 100 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: she remembers having an immediate visceral reaction. I, in my 101 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: gut said that she's not missing. 102 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 5: I was like, she's she's dead. Wherever she is, she's dead. 103 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: Of course it wouldn't take long for that notion to 104 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: be confirmed. Like Laura said, just about a week later, 105 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: the neighborhood learned that Jessica's body had been found again. 106 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: Laura had an instant reaction to the news. 107 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 5: She was murdered when she went missing. 108 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 4: I was like, she was murdered, Like people don't go 109 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 4: missing here, Like this is not just a missing person. 110 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 4: Like if there was a missing person, like it would 111 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 4: have been on the news, it'd been all over place. 112 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:23,239 Speaker 5: It was really nowhere. 113 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 4: It was like from Jessica's friend Maria posting on her 114 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 4: social media I think it was Facebook. When she first 115 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 4: posted it, it went like viral onto the lake View 116 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 4: next Door app and like I put it on there, 117 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 4: another girl neighbor put it on there, and so it 118 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 4: kind of just blew it. 119 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: From that, Laura quickly noticed that Jessica's friend Maria was 120 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: making quite a splash on social media, spreading word about 121 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: Jessica's case, so eventually she reached out. 122 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 4: I privately messaged her friend Maria and was like, I 123 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 4: know you don't live here. 124 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 5: I know you don't know me. I did not know Jessica. 125 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 4: If there's anything I can do on the grounds here, 126 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 4: like I can be your eyes here, and I kind 127 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 4: of have been that for them. 128 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: Over the years, Laura has formed quite a bond with 129 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: Jessica's loved ones. After some back and forth with Maria, 130 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: Laura would get in touch with Audrey and she hasn't 131 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: looked back since. 132 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 4: I feel like I've become like part of friends with Audrey, 133 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 4: like even though I've never met her in person, like 134 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 4: I've been talking to her since twenty nineteen. People say 135 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 4: that my husband says it too, like, Waur, why is 136 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 4: it matter? 137 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 5: You don't even know? 138 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 4: Her voice is gone, She's dead, like that cross that 139 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 4: is in her moral Me and the other neighbor as Sam, 140 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 4: we're the ones that put it there. And I emailed 141 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 4: Audrey and I asked her, do you want us to 142 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 4: put her name on it? Do you want it to 143 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 4: leave it blank? What would you like? Like, I am 144 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 4: not looking for a reward, I'm not looking for anything. 145 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 4: I'm looking for literally justice for her. Like I believe 146 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 4: the NOPD has not done their job. Doesn't take rocket 147 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 4: science to figure this out, you know. And I understand 148 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 4: you can't just arrest somebody you don't have enough evidence, 149 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 4: But I feel like they didn't even do enough to 150 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 4: get evidence. It's like they didn't want to find evidence 151 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 4: to prove this. 152 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: Laura feels strongly that ineptitude within the n OPD has 153 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: hindered the investigation. Because of that, she never passes at 154 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: an opportunity to remind the police that they have a 155 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: job to do here. 156 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 4: I would call NPD third District Lebrono. He does not 157 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 4: like me, but guess what, that's fine. I don't care. 158 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 4: Every Wednesday of the month, it's the first Wednesday every 159 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 4: month we have neighborhood meeting. Because the third district is 160 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 4: for Lakeview and you get on it every day. I 161 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 4: would say every meeting, I know you're not going to 162 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 4: tell me anything about the case, but is there anything 163 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 4: you can update us on Jessica Easterly, like anything. I 164 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 4: know it's still under investigation, so you're not allowed to 165 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 4: say anything, but you need to tell us something. And 166 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 4: he would just get annoyed because he wanted to just 167 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 4: talk about like the car hand pulling and the doors 168 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 4: getting smashed whatever, the windows being smashed all the time. 169 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 4: He did not want to hear Sam and I when 170 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 4: we would get on there, he would try to ignore 171 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 4: us and change the subject every single month. He hates 172 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 4: those meetings. Literally, when he sees my name on the 173 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 4: zoom thing, He's like, great, Laura's here again. 174 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: Laura has sort of become a chain of communication with 175 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: n OPD locally, whether they like it or not. She 176 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: jokes she's driving or walking through the neighborhood and sees 177 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: anything she thinks could be of importance. She shares it 178 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: as an investigative journalist covering crime. One thing police have 179 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 1: always told me when it comes to tips, send them 180 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 1: in no matter how insignificant you think they are. Let 181 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: them be the judge of that. Of course, Living just 182 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: a few blocks away, Laura often drives past Justin and 183 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: Jessica's house. 184 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 4: So I'll drive by and I always see cars parked 185 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 4: with the license plates always to the house in the 186 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 4: front of the car, like most people just pull in 187 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 4: their driveway. So I always thought that was weird. And 188 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 4: there was always always a range drover there. Right when 189 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 4: Jessica went missing, it was just a range drover and 190 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 4: a motorcycle. The motorcycle disappeared shortly after her body was found, 191 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 4: and then the range river disappeared. Because after the range disappeared, 192 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 4: all of a sudden like a Mercedes and a BMW 193 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 4: showed up on the driveway, and I was like, okay, 194 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 4: this is sketchy like because the BMW will sometimes be 195 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 4: there by itself, then it disappears for a while, then 196 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 4: the Mercedes. Same thing, and then there's another guy that 197 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 4: lives there, which is weird. That appeared after Jessica was 198 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 4: found dead. 199 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: She thinks it was about six months after Jessica's death 200 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: that the man moved in with Justin, his father and 201 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:37,559 Speaker 1: his daughter. Laura admits she rarely sees Justin or anyone 202 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: living in the home for that matter, yet there's always 203 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: enough activity to keep her thinking. For example, not too 204 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: long ago, that range Rover that had gone missing for 205 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: some time, all of a sudden reappeared. 206 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 4: It's still weird to me out I'm like her car 207 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 4: was gone right after she died, and then now it's back, 208 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 4: like where was it? 209 00:11:58,520 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 5: Where was it? 210 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: For the past year, and more recently, in October of 211 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, something very out of the ordinary caught her attention. 212 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 4: So I drove by and it was a futon and 213 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 4: a headboard to a bed and they're putting it out 214 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 4: like almost when dusk was coming. 215 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 5: It was like nighttime. 216 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 4: I called Audrey and she was like, will you drive 217 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 4: by and take pictures? 218 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 5: I need like evidence. 219 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 4: So I did one of the side street took pictures 220 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 4: of it, and then all of a sudden, I was like, 221 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 4: oh my god, Audio, I drove by again and there 222 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 4: was a NOPD like forensics truck or something. I was like, 223 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 4: oh my god, the forensics truck is there now, and 224 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 4: she was like, are they taking it? I was like, 225 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 4: it doesn't look like they're taking this stuff. I said, 226 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 4: it looks like they're like taking swabs off it or 227 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 4: like testing it. I was like, I never took the stuff, 228 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 4: and it sat out there for like a week or two, 229 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 4: and then I was gone. 230 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: According to Laura, it appeared as though the NOPD took 231 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 1: swabs at the furniture for testing, but if they did, 232 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: no one in the family knows of any results, nor 233 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 1: does Laura. She doesn't necessarily expect the police to tell her, 234 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 1: but as a Lakeview resident, she'd certainly like to know 235 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: what it was about. I mean, it's not every day 236 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: you see authorities swabbing your neighbor's belongings. Laura admits she's 237 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: thankful to see that investigators are working the case, at 238 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: least they appear to be, though for her in no 239 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: way makes up for the past. 240 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 4: I mean, there's so many things I feel like they 241 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 4: messed up in the beginning, Like how can I fix 242 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 4: it now to get answers for the family? You know, 243 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 4: I thought the police are here to help us, you know, 244 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 4: I'm here to back them if they back us. You know, 245 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,599 Speaker 4: it makes me nervous that I did call in the 246 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 4: beginning and when harass in OPD and say, hey, I'm 247 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 4: calling about the dusk Easter the case, and sometimes the 248 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 4: third District would say, I don't even know who you're 249 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 4: talking about, and I'm like, excuse me. We shouldn't be 250 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 4: fighting to get this, like the police and the authority 251 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 4: should be wanting to help. No one should have to fight, 252 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 4: you know, for a family member or anything like this. 253 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 4: Like I couldn't imagine if I was Audrey, how they're 254 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 4: feeling having to deal with the sadness of the whole 255 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 4: situation and then still having to fight, you know, and 256 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 4: keep strong, you know, be very strong. 257 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 5: I feel that. 258 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 4: I'm her voice here in the neighborhood, and maybe me 259 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 4: being annoying to all the police here, our da our 260 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 4: council member, anyone that they'll maybe do something, because if 261 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 4: we don't stop harassing them and stop fighting for her, 262 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 4: no one will, and then it will get just dusted 263 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 4: under the rug and the another cold case that just 264 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 4: sits there. And I just feel very strongly because it's 265 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 4: my neighborhood and because I have become friends with Audrey, 266 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 4: that I feel like I'm not going to stop until 267 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 4: something is done. 268 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: It's not just Laura who feels this way. Many neighbors 269 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: have become invested in this case, and while some like Laura, 270 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: have taken a very direct and intentional approach, others got 271 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: involved sort of by accident, like this couple we met 272 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: named Chuck and Margaret, who shared a rather interesting story 273 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 1: of how they got involved. March fifteenth, twenty twenty, felt 274 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: like an ordinary day for Chuck and Margaret. They were 275 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: out on their typical leisurely stroll near the area where 276 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: Jessica was found some seven months earlier. Surprisingly, the couple 277 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: was hardly even aware of the incident involving their neighbor Jessica, 278 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: so it's not like they were out there looking for 279 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: anything or trying to take part in the investigation. But 280 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: they would end up finding something on their track that 281 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: would make them a part of this story indefinitely. 282 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 6: We were walking the dog, were heading towards City Park, 283 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 6: and we were going between the railroad and that security 284 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 6: building that they built for pump operators when pumping station 285 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 6: operators when there's a hurricane. So we're between there, and 286 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 6: I think Margaret spotted a woodpecker and this tree, and 287 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 6: she went off this way, and I'm walking the way 288 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 6: we were going toward the pumping station, and I spot 289 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 6: that ID on the ground. 290 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: An id peculiar, yes, but also not the strangest thing 291 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: to stumble upon. After all, many people passed through this 292 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: area on any given day. Therefore, anyone could reach in 293 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: their pocket or purse and drop their idea in the process. 294 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: But Chuck was about to learn that this wasn't just 295 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: any random person's ID. 296 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 6: And it appeared from looking at it, it was kind 297 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 6: of wow. It looked like it had been hit by 298 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 6: the more So, we've walked there quite a few times 299 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 6: and I never saw it before, but so I picked 300 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 6: it up, and I walk over to her and I 301 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 6: show it to her, and she says, oh, that's a 302 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 6: woman who was. 303 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: Killed at the time Chuck had no idea what Margaret 304 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: was talking about, but it turns out she knew a 305 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: little bit about Jessica's case and therefore understood the potential 306 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: importance of the ID they just found. 307 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:38,159 Speaker 7: I had heard about it because I had surgery in 308 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 7: the summer, and so I spent a lot of time 309 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 7: resting and looking at my phone. And I don't think 310 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 7: I read about it in the newspaper. I think I 311 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 7: read about it on this neighborhood Facebook group. 312 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 8: And. 313 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 7: We had her name from the ID, so I guess 314 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 7: I sort of searched the old posts and found the 315 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 7: name of her friend that had posted it. So I 316 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 7: sent her a message say, and we found it. 317 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: That same day, an officer with the NPD came out 318 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: to Chuck and Margaret's house to collect the evidence. Things 319 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: stay quiet for a while after that, until about five 320 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: months later, when the lead detective at the time, Anthony Lunn, 321 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: finally gave them a call. They gave their story and 322 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: answered any questions he had. But to this day, nothing 323 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: more has come of that discovered ID, nothing that we 324 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: know of, since the NOPD isn't relaying any information to 325 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:43,919 Speaker 1: us from the investigation. Really all it's done, is added 326 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: to the mystery surrounding this case. 327 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 6: It seems kind of weird that, you know, you find 328 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 6: out that she supposedly didn't have any ID, which you 329 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 6: would assume that was because, oh, well, maybe your purse 330 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 6: was still at the house. But then why would she 331 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 6: take that unusual ID with her, just that one unusual ID. 332 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 1: Initially it was difficult to make sense of this. One 333 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: can obviously speculate, but Chuck and Margaret aren't going to 334 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: do that. They just hope that the small part they 335 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 1: played and what they found can help lead to some 336 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 1: resolution At the end of all this, though the idea 337 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: has only added more questions to the mix. There was 338 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: one thing about it that we were able to determine. 339 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: When Todd and I visually compared the ID that the 340 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,159 Speaker 1: neighbors found with the idea that Justin should police the 341 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: night Jessica was reported missing, we could confirm that both 342 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: were Louisiana state ideas. Neither were a driver's license, and 343 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 1: both had her name listed as Jessica Easterly her maiden name. 344 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: Both had issue dates of twenty nineteen, and both had 345 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: expiration dates of twenty twenty three. What we could determine 346 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 1: visually was that they were not the same ID. They 347 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: were both vertical IDs. However, the one left at the 348 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: house had a completely different layout. At the top of 349 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: the ID there was text above her photo, and the 350 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 1: one found by neighbors in the field had her photo 351 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: at the top of the ID without text. Could it 352 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: have been placed there after Jessica was found and if so, 353 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: why or was it simply overlooked at the scene. Remember, 354 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: according to Justin's original statement to the NPD, it was 355 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: reported that Jessica's keys, phone, medications, purse, wallet, and her 356 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: ID were left at home. So how does a second 357 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: ID end up right where her body was found seven 358 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: months after the fact. And why an ID in the 359 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: first place? Why not a credit card too, or a 360 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: wallet to carry? Why not any of the other items 361 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: that were left behind. The only thing we do know 362 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: for certain, as Todd reminded me, is that a piece 363 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: of new evidence like this has great investigative value in 364 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:18,120 Speaker 1: this new era of touch DNA. It took detective Lawn 365 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 1: about five months to reach out to Margaret and Chuck 366 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: about the ID, and that was way too long in 367 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: Audrey's mind. So during that waiting period in April of 368 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty. She actually decided to file a formal complaint 369 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: nine months since she found her sister's body in the 370 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: same area the couple found her ID. 371 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 9: So when I found out that the couple in Lakeview 372 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 9: who found Justica's ID had not heard from the detective, 373 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 9: I decided to file a formal complaint with the Public 374 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 9: Integrity Bureau and we listed all the things that NPD 375 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 9: had failed to do to properly investigate. 376 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 1: Four months pass and Audrey receives no reply regarding the complaint, 377 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: but she persists. 378 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 9: So we had to email E Creighton. His name was E. 379 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 9: Creighton our formal complaint. Then, I'm gonna say it was 380 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 9: probably May June or so I called him to find 381 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 9: out what was going on with it, and he said 382 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 9: that he couldn't find it in his email, that I'd 383 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 9: have to do it all over. 384 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: Again, send it to him all over again. 385 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 8: And so I sent it all over to him again, 386 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 8: sent him everything, and then I kept calling and calling 387 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 8: and finally got a hold of someone and he gave 388 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 8: me a control number, and I gave him the control number, 389 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 8: and they're like, yeah, well, you're just gonna have to 390 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 8: talk to him so I would leave messages. I literally 391 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 8: called every day for weeks on end, never heard back 392 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 8: from him. 393 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 9: And then finally on August sixth, I talked to mister 394 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 9: Creighton and he informed that they were going. 395 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 8: To be investigating. 396 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: This was a small win for Audrey and the rest 397 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: of Jessica's family, a step in the right direction. As 398 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,479 Speaker 1: a reminder, Audrey wasn't the only person out there working 399 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 1: the authorities. Laura, the Eyes and Ears of Lakeview had 400 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:31,439 Speaker 1: also been busy. 401 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 4: I feel like my constant pushing got somewhere because he 402 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 4: got so annoyed that you know, it went to other places. 403 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 4: And Joe, our council member, he would email the corner 404 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 4: because I was like the Corners, according to Lobrono, the 405 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 4: corners who is holding this up because he classified her 406 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 4: death as undetermined. I would get friends and post it 407 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 4: on Facebook and on next door to call the number, 408 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 4: email and just say her family deserves her body. 409 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 5: Harass the coroner. 410 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 4: I mean, which is so sad that you have to 411 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 4: harass somebody to get the body of your loved one 412 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 4: like that should not have to happen to anybody, you know, 413 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 4: And I mean I don't know if it happens in 414 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 4: other cities, but I'm embarrassed that it's happening here in 415 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 4: New Orleans. 416 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: Just as a reminder, at this point, when the Public 417 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: Integrity Bureau got involved in Jessica's case, her body had 418 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: been at the coroner's office for a year. 419 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 4: I mean it's almost been two years, and there literally 420 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,640 Speaker 4: has been zero answers for her family, literally nothing. I mean, 421 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,360 Speaker 4: they don't know how she died, they don't know how 422 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 4: she ended up there. Maybe a set of new eyes, 423 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 4: a set of new ears, everything would maybe find something 424 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 4: that NPDS not. 425 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:51,719 Speaker 5: I don't know. 426 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 4: I feel like NPD messed up so much in the 427 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 4: beginning that it scares me that they lost a lot 428 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 4: of evidence that they could have found. 429 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 5: Like, it's still weird. 430 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: Laura believes someone out there holds the answer, and she 431 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 1: hopes this new interest in the case will get Jessica 432 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 1: one step closer to justice. But it turns out there's 433 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: one other neighbor in Lakeview who believes he may have 434 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: found some answers. 435 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 3: When I realized that he thought I was somebody else, 436 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 3: I decided to press him a little bit, and I said, well, 437 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 3: why don't you come clean and give the family, some peace. 438 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 3: It just became more and more obvious to me. What 439 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 3: would happen. I'll never believe anything else happened. 440 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 1: Undetermined is a production of Resonate Recordings and Tenderfoot TV 441 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:14,639 Speaker 1: in conjunction with Cadence thirteen, Written and hosted by me 442 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 1: Jessica Nole and produced by Dennis Cooper and Todd mccolma's 443 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: with additional production by Whitney Bozarth. Executive producers are Dennis Cooper, 444 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: Mark Minnery, Jacob Bozart, Donald Albright, and Payne Lindsay. Our 445 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: senior producer is John Street. Editing, mixing, mastering and sound 446 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: design by Caleb Melcher, Dayton Cole and pat Kick Kleider 447 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: of the Resonate Recordings team. If you have a podcast 448 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 1: or are looking to start one, check us out at 449 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: Resonate Recordings dot com. Our theme song and original score 450 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: is by Dirt Poor Robbins, with additional scoring by Dayton Cole. 451 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: Our cover art is by Station sixteen. You can follow 452 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: Undetermined Podcast on Facebook and on Twitter at Undetermined Pod. 453 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 1: Show notes as well as bonus content can be found 454 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: on our website undeterminedpod dot com. If you enjoyed this episode, 455 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: please take time to subscribe, rate, and review. Your feedback 456 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: is greatly appreciated. And finally, if you have any information 457 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: about this case, call crime Stoppers at one eight seven 458 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: seven nine zero three seven eight sixty seven