VICTIM #3 - Kristen Elizabeth Gary Lopez, 21 - Found Deceased 18 March 2007

[Mountain_Kat]

Here is the info I have on Kristen:

~ Last seen March 6, 2007
~ Body reported missing by Tracee Chaisson (cousin of 1st victim, Lorretta Chaisson Lewis)on 3/15/07
~ Body found March 18, 2007 in the Petijean Canal near Cherokee Rd.
~ Age 21, 5' 2'', 94 lbs.
~Toxicology report high levels of drugs and alcohol, body found nude, c.o.d could not be determined due to deteriorated state ofcorpse.
~ niece of Teresa Gary (mother of victim #7), cousin to Brittney Ann Gary (victim # 7)

In May, 2007, Frankie Richard and his niece, Hannah Conner, were arrested in connection with Lopez’s death.
Hannah Conner They were also questioned about the deaths prior to Lopez. Richard was reportedly seen with three of the victims in the last days of their lives. Charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence and conflicting witness statements.

~ In May, 2007, Frankie Richard and his niece, Hannah Conner, were arrested in connection with Lopez’s death.
They were also questioned about the deaths prior to Lopez. Richard was reportedly seen with three of the victims in the last days of their lives. Charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence and conflicting witness statements.

Also arrested in May, 2007, was Tracee L. Chaisson. She was booked on Accessory After the Fact charges. Chaisson was apparently the person who reported Kristen missing. Investigators believed she knew where the body was when she made the report. Like Richard and Conner, charges were dropped against Tracee Chaisson due to lack of evidence and conflicting statements.

 

[Justiceforever]

Here's a pic of Kristen RIP
Great job on the threads Kat!

 

[bessie]

Two Arrested in Murder of Kristen Gary Lopez

KPLC-TV
May 16, 2007
Sheriff Edwards says a tip from informants gave investigators enough evidence to arrest two people with Lopez's murder. Twenty-two year old Hannah Conner was arrested Wednesday morning in Vermillion Parish, while 51-year-old Frankie Richard was already behind bars.

"Mr. Richard was incarcerated Monday on a rape that had occurred earlier that day. So he's already been in jail," said Edwards.

Arrests Made in Jeff Davis Murder

KLFY
Investigators say the names of the two suspects, whom are uncle and niece, have come up often in this investigation.
Sheriff Rickey Edwards says the two are involved in the drug circle, which he says is the link between them and the victim.

Frankie Richard

http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=6527079

Another Arrest Linked to the Death of a Jennings Woman

May 24, 2007
Reported by KPLC Staff

Tracee L. Chaisson of Jennings has been booked on charges of Accessory after the fact.

[The article also states Chaisson reported Lopez missing.]


But then...

By Campbell Robertson, The New York Times
Published: 03 January 2010 02:35 AM

Four people have been arrested or have had arrest warrants issued in connection with the deaths. Two were even held on murder charges for months before being freed because of evidence problems; the other two were never charged.

Frankie Richard was one of those two. A one-time owner of local strip joints, Richard (pronounced REE-shar) has a history of assault arrests. He admits to being a crack addict and claims to have had sex with most of the victims. He was among those last seen with Kristen Gary Lopez, whose body was found floating in a canal on March 18, 2007.

A woman who was with Richard and Lopez at a hotel just before Lopez disappeared told the police that Richard had killed Lopez. Soon after, the woman retracted her statement.

"I have my suspicion about who done it," Richard, 54, said, sitting on the front porch of his childhood home on a chilly Sunday afternoon, still reeling from what his mother said was a three-day binge. "But I don't want to pin the tail on no donkey because I don't want false allegations to cause a family to go through what mine did."

Mr. Richard was in rehab when one of the victims died, Sheriff Ricky Edwards said.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20100103-Pace-of-inquiry-into-8-deaths-3829.ece

 

[Mountain_Kat]

Anyone know when Richard was in rehab, or which victim was murdered when he was in rehab?

 

[Mountain_Kat]

This is interesting...according to Richard, on the last day Kristen was seen, Kristen, Tracee Chaisson and Conner Siler showed up together at his room at The Budget Inn. Richard claims to have kicked the girls out, and, according to him, all 3 girls left in Connie Siler's truck (this is the same truck later bought by Detective Warren Gary).

http://www.kplctv.com/global/video/...g=Search Results&activePane=info&rnd=28033368

The other interesting part of the story can be found here:

http://www.theind.com/news/cover-story/5280-

Silar was booked on charges of writing hot checks two days after the third victim, Kristen Lopez, was discovered dead in a canal just outside of Jennings. According to the state police investigation, Silar was “known by JDSO to be a frequent drug user who was often seen in her truck with [Lopez]” and was questioned by JDSO as a witness regarding the death of Lopez.

Around the same time, Silar’s truck was found abandoned in a lot and towed into the JDSO Criminal Investigation Division, where it was searched. Silar told police she had “rented out” her truck to two men in exchange for crack cocaine

So Siler's truck was searched by the JDSO BEFORE Siler sold it to a police detective, and while the owner of said vehicle was being questioned in a murder investigation? Then after the detective washed and resold the car, it was searched a second time? Color me confused here, but why in the hell would it need to be searched AFTER it was washed and sold, when it had already been searched while it was in the custody of JDSO?! Warren Gary is later fined $10,000 and re-assigned to, of all places, the EVIDENCE department?!

Uh....pardon me while I try to scoop my jaw up off the floor.

 

[21merc7]

I'm gonna' guess the first search was not thorough, not for murder. So maybe later hoping to find hair, fibers, blood, something like a button, etc... It has happened before!

Hmmm, being reassigned to Evidence....hmmm, maybe everyone dropped the ball and never knew the car was evidence, only thought of it for the drug case. I have no idea, but am dumbfounded as you are. There has to be a lame excuse as above though.

Must have been something in the vehicle if the girl thought to tell LE she rented the truck out!!!

 

[Mountain_Kat]

I'm gonna' guess the first search was not thorough, not for murder. So maybe later hoping to find hair, fibers, blood, something like a button, etc... It has happened before!

Hmmm, being reassigned to Evidence....hmmm, maybe everyone dropped the ball and never knew the car was evidence, only thought of it for the drug case. I have no idea, but am dumbfounded as you are. There has to be a lame excuse as above though.

Must have been something in the vehicle if the girl thought to tell LE she rented the truck out!!!

What drug case...Siler was arrested on worthless check charges. I'm thinking you don't search a vehicle for that, do you?

Here's another head scratcher from the same article:

Just over a week later, Gary approached her and negotiated a deal. He and jail warden Terry Guillory (ex-husband to former Detective Paula Guillory) drove her to a Lake Arthur bank to complete the transaction.


So Paula Guillory loses evidence in a burglary case against Frankie Richard, and her ex-husband, jail warden Terry Guillory, rides along with Warren Gary to take Connie Silar to the bank to complete the sale of the truck suspected in the murder of Kristin Gary Lopez. And later on, Brittney Gary and Necole Guillory are found dead?

Is everyone in this town named Gary or Guillory? WTH?! All this can't be coincidence. No freakin' way.

 

[21merc7]

No, bad checks do not warrant taking in an auto for a search. Guess I thought the crack admission meant something, but clearly, they had it searched for the murders.

I'm not liking the way things are shaping up for the local LE here, but suspect something the girls all knew ties back.

ETA: Just got to watch the KPLC bit. Guillory lost the money in the Richard case, a few thousand??!! Yowza. Gary sold the truck to a deputy for a profit. I see what you are getting at now. (And maybe a lot of people in the small town are related. )

 

[ktgirl]

So if one of the women who was at the hotel with FR & Kristen told LE that FR & Hannah Conner killed Kristen.

"A woman who was with Mr. Richard and Ms. Lopez at a cheap hotel just before Ms. Lopez disappeared told the police that Mr. Richard and his niece had killed Ms. Lopez. Soon after, the woman recanted her statement." (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/02/us/02serial.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

Per MountainKat's post above, the other girls that would have been at the hotel would have been Tracee Chaisson & Connie Siler. One of them would have reported this & then recanted it. Tracee was booked on accessory after the fact charges. So maybe Connie called it in (as she's the only woman that wasn't arrested who was at the hotel room)?

And from Bessie's post above: "Mr. Richard was incarcerated Monday on a rape that had occurred earlier that day. So he's already been in jail," said Edwards.

So he was already sitting in the jail (for rape no less) when the tip came in. Seems like whoever called in that tip may have only felt safe doing so because he was already locked up.

I'd really like to know when FR was in rehab.

I go back and forth between FR being the key player in all of this, an auxiliary figure who's more of an accessory, or a fall guy.

 

[Justiceforever]

What drug case...Siler was arrested on worthless check charges. I'm thinking you don't search a vehicle for that, do you?

Here's another head scratcher from the same article:

Just over a week later, Gary approached her and negotiated a deal. He and jail warden Terry Guillory (ex-husband to former Detective Paula Guillory) drove her to a Lake Arthur bank to complete the transaction.


So Paula Guillory loses evidence in a burglary case against Frankie Richard, and her ex-husband, jail warden Terry Guillory, rides along with Warren Gary to take Connie Silar to the bank to complete the sale of the truck suspected in the murder of Kristin Gary Lopez. And later on, Brittney Gary and Necole Guillory are found dead?
Is everyone in this town named Gary or Guillory? WTH?! All this can't be coincidence. No freakin' way.

Riddle me this batman! ; )

I am am having a REALLY hard time wrapping my head around it all.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

So if one of the women who was at the hotel with FR & Kristen told LE that FR & Hannah Conner killed Kristen.

"A woman who was with Mr. Richard and Ms. Lopez at a cheap hotel just before Ms. Lopez disappeared told the police that Mr. Richard and his niece had killed Ms. Lopez. Soon after, the woman recanted her statement." (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/02/us/02serial.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

Per MountainKat's post above, the other girls that would have been at the hotel would have been Tracee Chaisson & Connie Siler. One of them would have reported this & then recanted it. Tracee was booked on accessory after the fact charges. So maybe Connie called it in (as she's the only woman that wasn't arrested who was at the hotel room)?

And from Bessie's post above: "Mr. Richard was incarcerated Monday on a rape that had occurred earlier that day. So he's already been in jail," said Edwards.

So he was already sitting in the jail (for rape no less) when the tip came in. Seems like whoever called in that tip may have only felt safe doing so because he was already locked up.

I'd really like to know when FR was in rehab.

I go back and forth between FR being the key player in all of this, an auxiliary figure who's more of an accessory, or a fall guy.

It was Tracee who implicated FR. But she didn't call that in as a tip. She's the one that reported Kristen missing, and LE was repeatedly dropping by or calling her in for questioning regarding Kristen. According to Tracee herself (in the KATC documentary), she "lied on Frankie" because she just wanted LE to leave her alone. (ahem!)

 

[21merc7]

Lol. From a small hometown here myself, although I was one of the few brave souls that had to move to a bigger far away place.

People tend to be born, live, and die in small towns. For many generations. Guess some need the family support or link to feel secure. They never think of moving, ever!

Think of it as the never ending story, lol. Eventually most everyone is related in some manner, be it distant or by marriage. Not a lot of new out of town folks move in, or, if they do, they move on in a few years to bigger and better. Not a lot of work, now not a lot of doctors, they usually get sent to larger cities for anything beyond a broken arm, not a lot of educational opportunities, and, yes there is a lot of corruption as the few with a bit of money and power have had it for a long family blood line. Weird places small towns.

Seems like Gary is one of those that stay for generations.

 

[Seaslug44]

This is where she was found. Another location in the middle of no-where.

The highlighted area is the edge of the canal.

 

[Justiceforever]

No, bad checks do not warrant taking in an auto for a search. Guess I thought the crack admission meant something, but clearly, they had it searched for the murders.

I'm not liking the way things are shaping up for the local LE here, but suspect something the girls all knew ties back.

ETA: Just got to watch the KPLC bit. Guillory lost the money in the Richard case, a few thousand??!! Yowza. Gary sold the truck to a deputy for a profit. I see what you are getting at now. (And maybe a lot of people in the small town are related. )

Bad checks MIGHT warrant a search for more Checks stubs or stolen checks?

 

[Justiceforever]

This is where she was found. Another location in the middle of no-where.

The highlighted area is the edge of the canal.

Thanks Seaslug. I get depressed when I see these pics. I know how important they are, but still, what a sad, lonely place to be "dumped". SMH at the indifference (whoever did this) has for the humanity of the person /people they did it to. I wanted to understand HOW?. WHY? But, I don't think I ever will know the answers. : (

 

[21merc7]

Bad checks MIGHT warrant a search for more Checks stubs or stolen checks?

They would just look through the vehicle after they tell you that you are under arrest, no forensic testing unless they found drugs or paraphernalia which is all that would be tested, not the vehicle. Which is supposed to be illegal if you tell them not to, btw.

 

[bessie]

Scroll down to Sept 6, 2012. HC was arrested for theft.

http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=13863


Added for reference:

Two Arrested in Murder of Kristen Gary Lopez

KPLC-TV
May 16, 2007
Sheriff Edwards says a tip from informants gave investigators enough evidence to arrest two people with Lopez's murder. Twenty-two year old Hannah Conner was arrested Wednesday morning in Vermillion Parish, while 51-year-old Frankie Richard was already behind bars.

"Mr. Richard was incarcerated Monday on a rape that had occurred earlier that day. So he's already been in jail," said Edwards.

Arrests Made in Jeff Davis Murder

KLFY
Investigators say the names of the two suspects, whom are uncle and niece, have come up often in this investigation.
Sheriff Rickey Edwards says the two are involved in the drug circle, which he says is the link between them and the victim.


*********************************************************************
Of possible relevance, two lines below HC's name is an arrestee with a familiar last name associated with many local crimes. It has come up in relation to Muggy's murder and the house on Spencer St. Not sure if/how this person is related. At any rate, the Sept 6 arrest led to charges two days later for an armed bank robbery that took place on August 30.

http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=13822

http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=13822

 

[Mountain_Kat]

Scroll down to Sept 6, 2012. HC was arrested for theft.

http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=13863


Added for reference:

Two Arrested in Murder of Kristen Gary Lopez

KPLC-TV
May 16, 2007
Sheriff Edwards says a tip from informants gave investigators enough evidence to arrest two people with Lopez's murder. Twenty-two year old Hannah Conner was arrested Wednesday morning in Vermillion Parish, while 51-year-old Frankie Richard was already behind bars.

"Mr. Richard was incarcerated Monday on a rape that had occurred earlier that day. So he's already been in jail," said Edwards.

Arrests Made in Jeff Davis Murder

KLFY
Investigators say the names of the two suspects, whom are uncle and niece, have come up often in this investigation.
Sheriff Rickey Edwards says the two are involved in the drug circle, which he says is the link between them and the victim.


*********************************************************************
Of possible relevance, two lines below HC's name is an arrestee with a familiar last name associated with many local crimes. It has come up in relation to Muggy's murder and the house on Spencer St. Not sure if/how this person is related. At any rate, the Sept 6 arrest led to charges two days later for an armed bank robbery that took place on August 30.

http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=13822

http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=13822

Very interesting. Thanks again, Bessie.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

According to Kirk Menard, Kristin was last seen at the corner of W Academy Ave and Clara street where she placed a call to LE.

http://murderinjdp.49.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=104

I've scoured google earth, and can't see anywhere where W Academy intersects Clara St. Maybe KM meant N Carey and W Academy?

Anyway, no idea how reliable this information is, but it's interesting to note that Crystal Zeno's mother relates that Crystal was last seen at the Phillips 66 placing a call to someone in the sheriff's office.

Assuming all this is true, that's 2 victims who disappeared after calling LE.

 

[Cajun Snooper]

Here is the info I have on Kristen:

~ Last seen March 6, 2007
~ Body reported missing by Tracee Chaisson (cousin of 1st victim, Lorretta Chaisson Lewis)on 3/15/07
~ Body found March 18, 2007 in the Petijean Canal near Cherokee Rd.
~ Age 21, 5' 2'', 94 lbs.
~Toxicology report high levels of drugs and alcohol, body found nude, c.o.d could not be determined due to deteriorated state ofcorpse.
~ niece of Teresa Gary (mother of victim #7), cousin to Brittney Ann Gary (victim # 7)

In May, 2007, Frankie Richard and his niece, Hannah Conner, were arrested in connection with Lopez’s death.
Hannah Conner They were also questioned about the deaths prior to Lopez. Richard was reportedly seen with three of the victims in the last days of their lives. Charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence and conflicting witness statements.

~ In May, 2007, Frankie Richard and his niece, Hannah Conner, were arrested in connection with Lopez’s death.
They were also questioned about the deaths prior to Lopez. Richard was reportedly seen with three of the victims in the last days of their lives. Charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence and conflicting witness statements.

Also arrested in May, 2007, was Tracee L. Chaisson. She was booked on Accessory After the Fact charges. Chaisson was apparently the person who reported Kristen missing. Investigators believed she knew where the body was when she made the report. Like Richard and Conner, charges were dropped against Tracee Chaisson due to lack of evidence and conflicting statements.

On March 18, 2017 It will be 10 years since her body was found. Still No Justice for the Woman or her family.
Hopeful one day Kristen will get the justice she deserves.
R.I.P. Kristen Gary Lopez