The Advocate reports that Brandon Scott Lavergne, the 33-year-old convicted sex offender charged this week with the murders of 21-year-old UL student Mickey Shunick and 35-year-old Lisa Pate, has been a suspect in Pate's death for 12 years.
Court documents obtained by The Advocate reveal that Brandon Scott Lavergne, the 33-year-old convicted sex offender charged this week with the murders of 21-year-old UL student Mickey Shunick and 35-year-old Lisa Pate, has been a suspect in Pate's death for 12 years.
According to a report from The Advocate, an Acadia Parish grand jury convened in 2008 to determine whether there was enough evidence to charge Lavergne with second-degree murder in connection with Pate's death. The grand jury delayed action at the time, citing a lack of evidence to proceed with trial.
Pate's body was found in September 1999 buried beneath boards near a house in Church Point. The Advocate reports that Pate had been missing for several months.
Shunick, whose disappearance two months ago has captivated the community and garnered national media attention, was last seen at 1:48 a.m. May 19 on St. Landry Street near University Avenue, about the same time a white Chevrolet Z71 was caught on tape at the intersection traveling in the same direction. Lafayette police say that truck was driven by Lavergne, whom they contend later set fire to it in San Jacinto County, Texas, within days of the images being released to the public.
Among the items retrieved from Lavergne's home after his July 5 arrest were bloodied pictures he took of himself and an undisclosed number of women's IDs.
Read more from The Advocate here.