‘Geraldo At Large’ to air segment on Jeff Davis deaths (10-17)

Posted October 17, 2009 at 1:19 am
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By DORIS MARICLE
AMERICAN PRESS

JENNINGS — A private investigator hired by some of the family members of eight young women found dead in Jeff Davis Parish in the last four years hopes a segment on Fox News’ “Geraldo At Large” will bring new information on the series of unsolved homicides.

The show was scheduled to air this weekend, but has been rescheduled for next Saturday, private investigator Kirk Menard told the American Press on Friday.

“We are really excited about this because we have been able to obtain the national exposure these cases deserve,” Menard said. “It’s my chance to be a voice for my clients which hired me and a chance to put the word out of what we are up against.”

Michael Dubois, brother of fourth victim Whitnei Dubois, who was found in May 2007, is scheduled to talk to Geraldo Rivera about his sister’s death and the unsolved slayings.

Menard said the women’s deaths received little national exposure until he and Dubois were interviewed on CNN in late September.

“The CNN anchor (Don Lemon) told us he was from Baton Rouge and he hadn’t heard much about these cases,” Menard said. “The word is finally getting around, and we’re getting the exposure these girls finally deserve.”

Menard said past serial killers like Derrick Todd Lee, the “BTK killer,” “the zodiac killer” and “the Green River killer” got a lot more national attention.

“For some reason we have these eight deaths and there’s been no national attention,” he said. “We are a small town in Louisiana and things are being kept isolated. There is not much talk, except in the local media.”

Menard said Geraldo may be the “boost” the investigation needs to spur interest.

“Geraldo is a big step for us,” he said. “He is an investigative reporter, and he tries to help any way he can. I think the national exposure we receive from him will bring the attention to others what is going on and maybe some answers. Bringing national attention to these cases can’t hurt; it can only help.”

Sheriff Ricky Edwards said he spoke with the show’s producer, C.J. Lenat, Thursday. Lenat asked Edwards for copies of all the news releases concerning the investigation, but did not request an interview.

Rivera is not expected to come to Jennings. The show will likely be a live in-studio satellite feed from a local television station, Menard said.

The mystery surrounding the women’s deaths also caught the eye of Kodiak Productions, a Swiss documentary film crew, this summer. Filmmakers Paul Nixon and Jon Bjorgvinsson spent a week in the parish in September interviewing victims’ relatives, residents and investigators; visiting crime scenes; and riding with police to learn more about the cases and the area for the film.

“We’re here almost out of sympathy because it seemed these were forgotten murders,” Nixon told the American Press during the visit. “I come from a town almost twice the size of Jennings, and if this happened the national media would be all over it, but they’re not here.”

Nixon said he hopes to bring the story to a wider audience and give it the push it needs to bring closure to the families. He hopes to have the documentary completed by the end of the year.

Several Internet and Facebook-based groups such as Jeff Davis Cease Fire and Jeff Davis Crimes Net have conducted weekly e-mail and telephone campaigns to national media outlets hoping to bring the unsolved deaths to their attention.