Found Deceased LA - Jessica Easterly Durning, 43, New Orleans, 14 Aug 2019

[Steph8angels]

JMO
It's not over till it's over.
More to come.
This is one wacked out case and the ending will be JUSTICE FOR ALL
Steph/out

 

[ThatSpyGuy]

If they have ID'd Jessica's body, and she was murdered, wouldn't that have been mentioned?

Her friend seems to be on a roll! Has anyone else seen the latest post? She flat out says it was murder!

 

[AmandaSkis]

The length of time to ID the body is confusing. If the body had undergone a lot of decomposition by the time it was found, such that DNA tests had to be done, then how could the coroner know if COD was homicide or suicide?
Maybe this is why it all seems to be taking so long. The circumstantial evidence points to homicide but maybe a COD that fits with murder can’t be determined??

 

[Knox]

Her friend seems to be on a roll! Has anyone else seen the latest post? She flat out says it was murder!

Do you think it was murder or suicide?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

The length of time to ID the body is confusing. If the body had undergone a lot of decomposition by the time it was found, such that DNA tests had to be done, then how could the coroner know if COD was homicide or suicide?
Maybe this is why it all seems to be taking so long. The circumstantial evidence points to homicide but maybe a COD that fits with murder can’t be determined??

I believe tox report still to come.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Do you think it was murder or suicide?

Tox reports might help on that.

What strikes me as odd is that if it was suicide, she seemingly was fine up until 1pm on the Wednesday (so says husband anyway, though friend reported her as sounding 'afraid' on the Monday when she spoke to her) when she allegedly lay down for a nap with husband, and then 2 hours later was gone when he awoke.

She left with no possessions, and seemingly walked to the area she was found, laid down and died. If was suicide, there was no mention of any pill packages, bottles, syringes etc by the body, so presumably she would have taken these at home - then walked quite normally to her death place.

Er?

Husband reported no empty bottles etc at home, didn't even appear concerned about her disappearance and it was friend who kept harrying the police to make a welfare check at house. Despite her missing, husband then continued posting on social media sites under their 'working names', and never once made any public appeal for help.

Er?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

We really need some media interest on this case.

Anyone know any investigative reporters in New Orleans area?

 

[indicolite22]

Jessica left without her wallet, keys, phone and ID, and did not make further contact with a friend she had planned to see on Tuesday 13. The friend last spoke to her on Monday 12 evening, when she said Jessica seemed 'exhausted and afraid', but she (Jessica) would give no details to the friend, other than asking her to pick her (Jessica) up the following day. The friend did not hear from her again.

BBM. Some details (in Jessica's words) were published on fb recently. Search: jessica easterly missing
It's difficult not to suspect what the situation might have led to.

 

[indicolite22]

The length of time to ID the body is confusing. If the body had undergone a lot of decomposition by the time it was found, such that DNA tests had to be done, then how could the coroner know if COD was homicide or suicide?
Maybe this is why it all seems to be taking so long. The circumstantial evidence points to homicide but maybe a COD that fits with murder can’t be determined??

I think her body was found within 10 days of her going missing. If it looked like a homicide at first sight, I don't see why finding the body would be kept out of the news. Maybe her family's suspicion is based on circumstances of her disappearance (understandably so) and not on condition of the body.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

BBM. Some details (in Jessica's words) were published on fb recently. Search: jessica easterly missing
It's difficult not to suspect what the situation might have led to.

Unfortunately can't post here, but yes, that really says it all.

 

[The Night Watchman]

Why the silence from LE? Are they protecting a suspect?

I can’t remember a complete LE blackout on a case for this long before. Especially if a body of a missing person has found...

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Why the silence from LE? Are they protecting a suspect?

I can’t remember a complete LE blackout on a case for this long before. Especially if a body of a missing person has found...

No, neither can I. I am in UK and we would never have this level of silence here, even if some details were suppressed for legal reasons. You can tell from Maria's update that the family don't seem to have been served well by the local force at all.

I think they (police) may be waiting until the toxicology results are through to hopefully establish a cause of death. But you can see from what the family have said and the words of Jessica herself in a message to Maria, that she was living in a difficult environment.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I seriously doubt it’s some big conspiracy by LE. I will not be surprised if drugs are involved in this case. IMO

 

[LLNola]

Missing Lakeview woman's body recovered in August, coroner says

 

[Nancy19XX]

This is so sad. She was less than a half mile from her home, a 5-6 minute walk according to Google Maps. This is just bizarre. And if they did any searching after she disappeared, how was she missed? I am so heart broken for her sister that found her body. I wish they would have given us more information, sooner - however, I understand that there is a reason for everything.

 

[The Night Watchman]

Missing Lakeview woman's body recovered in August, coroner says

A body recovered in August near the Interstate 610 underpass in Lakeview has been identified as a woman who was reported missing from her Lakeview home earlier that month, according to the New Orleans Coroner’s Office.

The death of Jessica Easterly Durning, 43, remains under investigation, according to Jason Melancon, a spokesman for coroner Dwight McKenna’s office said Monday. The coroner’s office is still investigating the woman’s cause of death, which refers to the medical reason for her death. The office is also still investigating her manner of death, which refers to whether the death was natural, accidental, a homicide, suicide, undetermined, etc.

The New Orleans Police Department said the body was found Aug. 22 at the intersection of Orleans Avenue and Kenilworth Street. Durning's husband had reported her missing from their home in the 6000 block of General Haig Street on Aug. 14, police said.

Durning's body was found in an “advanced stage of decomposition,” an Aug. 22 police report stated. Durning’s sister, who lives in Mississippi, found her body while searching for her near her home, then called police to report she found a woman's body, according to the police report and a relative. The intersection where she was found is located about two and a half blocks from Durning's home.

A body recovered in August near the Interstate 610 underpass in Lakeview has been identified as a woman who was reported missing from her Lakeview home earlier that month, according to the New Orleans Coroner’s Office.

Map attached.

Jessica disappeared on August 14th. Her body was found a week later, close to the house.

An interstate underpass doesn't sound like a place someone would commit suicide. But it sounds like an area where a body might be dumped.

 

[happyday]

Missing Lakeview woman's body recovered in August, coroner says

Thank you for posting this. Finally it’s in the news. Sounds like all of it is still under investigation. I’m still at a loss of how she was in such an “advanced state of decomposition” that it took this long to ID her. I know we’re talking about August in New Orleans, but still. She had only been missing a few days when they found her.

RIP Jessica.

 

[indicolite22]

An interstate underpass doesn't sound like a place someone would commit suicide. But it sounds like an area where a body might be dumped.

On the other hand, wouldn't a perp try to conceal the body and/or take it far away from the crime scene, so that it wouldn't be discovered quickly?

 

[CluelessWonder]

My heart is broken. I'm so sorry that her sister had to go through the horrible experience of finding her. I took a look at that overpass. It's surprising that it took so long for someone to notice. I wonder if that is a spot where people congregate.

 

[0101ABA]

We really need some media interest on this case.

Anyone know any investigative reporters in New Orleans area?

One of my former college roommate’s husband (say that five times fast) is an investigative reporter with the CBS news station in New Orleans. She and I are still very close so I would be willing to call and ask her if she felt comfortable with me speaking to her husband about Jessica’s case.

I have some reservations because I feel as if a lot of information is known but not being released (possibly for privacy reasons) and there might be a lot going on behind the scenes but nothing can be hurt by asking.