I have followed Jaren's case since day one as I live in the CBD, about 5 blocks away from the club she was abducted. since her murder i habe done some snooping of my own, starting with the dlib she danced at and moving on to other clubs owned by the same company (sleazy N'awlin Entertainment LLC) Many of the lower end strip clubs/bars do not require ID or a SS card (I have metmobviouslynunderaged dancers and had it confirmed to me) and as the girls are paid in cash they do not need bank accounts. There are smaller motels (my best description would be boarding houses) for these girls that accept $200/300 a week for these girls and traveling dancers and migrant type Bourbon St workers to stay- no credit/background check, ID, or lease required. They are within walking distance to the clubs and usually owned by them. One of the sleaziest clubs even has bunk beds for the girls to stay and almost all strip clubs have shower/washing facilities. When I danced for a few months 8 years ago they also had even a sauna, tanning beds, a stylist, a lingerie shop for outfits, and a lounge upstairs!(but I danced at the highest end club where lap dances were $50 per song, which was unheard of then. But the club only hired THE best so men were willing to pay it) In the lower end clubs there are often a lot of sob stories- runaways, addicts, abuse, you name it. The girls and management often form a family-like bond- house moms (retired strippers who keep the girls in line/hold their hair when they puke) will bail the "house girls" (full time dancers) out of jail, the girls give each other a place to stay, share drugs.. Prostitution is also encouraged, though not directly (though the girls talkmfreely about it) I can't help but wonder if maybe Britt was given some cash and told to flee to a place such as these, such as Jaren Lockhart. She was working in a club like this (most of those run down clubs are run by the same owner and operate as brothels as much as actual clubs; "VIP rooms" are strongly encouraged w the dancer keeping only half) and living in a sleazy $50/night (or weekly rates) motel and her disappearance would've never raised an eyebrow if she hadn't been so gruesomely murdered. Girls I knew when I danced 8 years ago look 20 years older now, while I look better than ever bc of the differences in our lifestyles.
Despite the dangers however, if I was 20 and beautiful and had a limited amount of money, dancing/living on Bourbon in a place like that temporarily would be my pick.
I have spoken to her past co-workers and a doorman and heard different stories. Remember these are STORIES and may not be true, but I have heard her leaving the club or doing "VIPs" was not uncommon and that she and her boyfriend were heroin addicts, and that the reason he waited until the evening to report her missing was that although she would overnight w her clients occasionally, she would've been dopesick and in touch by then. Again these are just RUMORS. I also heard that the first girl approached at Temptations was asked directly to leave the club for a threesome first not to do a party. When she asked where they supposedly said "near Metairie"
I have no doubt in my mind that these two sickos did it. It saddens me bc Jaren was only a few years younger than I am now and she simply made a poor choice. She was not a bad person. I went to High School near her at STA and owned a home in Jefferson Cort, just miles from where she lived. Until a few years ago I was also involved in drugs; I am surprised our paths never crossed. Most of her old co-workers have moved onto different clubs yet I learned recently that 4 Bourbon St dancers at least have disappeared or died under mysterious circumstances in the last 3 years. Where is the outcry? These girls are not disposable- they are mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, girlfriends, and wives. They may have made mistakes but deserved a chance to make it right. I screwed up terribly in the past and you would never know now.
Praying for Justice for Jaren!