Brandon Scott Lavergne - Guilty Plea and LWOP

[K.jill]

I may have missed the handlebar issue...were there reports that they were removed? I remember something about the gold handlebar grips, but I don't recall in regards to what. I assume to remove the handlebars he would have to also remove the handbrakes. Guess I can't imagine why BSL would remove them. Now, one report I got was that the fisherman who found the bike picked it up and returned to his camp with it intending to scrap it.. Once there, some family member advised him that it might be Mickey's bike. They advised SMSO who contacted LPD. I have not seen this verified or reported by LE.....

Oops, I meant handlebar grips. They were found the same time as the bike and Mr. Shunick was surprised that they were removed because he and his son had tried to remove them previously and could not.

 

[justwundering]

Oops, I meant handlebar grips. They were found the same time as the bike and Mr. Shunick was surprised that they were removed because he and his son had tried to remove them previously and could not.

Grips are almost impossible to remove without cutting or destroying them. Don't think BSL removed them. Suspect LE removed them possibly trying to recover fingerprints or blood stains? Perhaps they were submerged in water and were easier to remove?

 

[reedus23]

Ok I feel stupid for having to ask, but to what end are we debating whether or not the grips were removed? Feeling stupid for not understanding what is ultimately trying to be determined. Thanks.

 

[Backwoods]

Ok I feel stupid for having to ask, but to what end are we debating whether or not the grips were removed? Feeling stupid for not understanding what is ultimately trying to be determined. Thanks.

I think it has just always been a matter of curiosity for some of us -- we interpreted a couple of media reports as meaning that the grips had been removed (not by LE) and always wondered why, how, and where. In one report, Mr. Shunick was also pondering about it. No difference as far as the outcome of things , of course, but I am still curious about it, too.

Maybe if BSL's actual confession is ever released, we'll find out the answer, along with some other missing details that seem to haunt a lot of us.

 

[kkdj]

Grips are almost impossible to remove without cutting or destroying them. Don't think BSL removed them. Suspect LE removed them possibly trying to recover fingerprints or blood stains? Perhaps they were submerged in water and were easier to remove?

I think BSL removed them because he couldn't simply wipe off prints. Th rest of the bike he touched would be easy, but not the grips. So remove them, toss them and hope they can't be proven (if found) to have a connection to the bike.

 

[bessie]

Ok I feel stupid for having to ask, but to what end are we debating whether or not the grips were removed? Feeling stupid for not understanding what is ultimately trying to be determined. Thanks.

I had to laugh at this comment, reedus. I was kinda wondering, myself. But, hey, we all have our favorite sticking points. (As long as it's not the DWT. :shush

 

[Some1Nose]

I think it has just always been a matter of curiosity for some of us -- we interpreted a couple of media reports as meaning that the grips had been removed (not by LE) and always wondered why, how, and where. In one report, Mr. Shunick was also pondering about it. No difference as far as the outcome of things , of course, but I am still curious about it, too.

Maybe if BSL's actual confession is ever released, we'll find out the answer, along with some other missing details that seem to haunt a lot of us.

Yes, it would be nice to be able to fill-in the missing pieces so that the picture is complete!

I'd like to know how LE knew that BSL was at WB. An eye witness, cameras, tire marks, dna, cell phone records, gps or?

 

[K.jill]

I think it has just always been a matter of curiosity for some of us -- we interpreted a couple of media reports as meaning that the grips had been removed (not by LE) and always wondered why, how, and where. In one report, Mr. Shunick was also pondering about it. No difference as far as the outcome of things , of course, but I am still curious about it, too.

Maybe if BSL's actual confession is ever released, we'll find out the answer, along with some other missing details that seem to haunt a lot of us.

Thank you, Backwoods. You explained this much better than I did.
It does not change the outcome. But, now that we know his hand was injured it seems even more odd that he would remove the grips. Since they are so hard to remove I wonder how he did it with the injury. He did a lot during that 20 hrs. Kidnapping, murder, injury, drove home to clean up, hiding the body, dumped bike at WB, visited friend in NO, ER, and removed the bikes grips.

 

[CajunA]

Thank you, Backwoods. You explained this much better than I did.
It does not change the outcome. But, now that we know his hand was injured it seems even more odd that he would remove the grips. Since they are so hard to remove I wonder how he did it with the injury. He did a lot during that 20 hrs. Kidnapping, murder, injury, drove home to clean up, hiding the body, dumped bike at WB, visited friend in NO, ER, and removed the bikes grips.

Hmm, my first thought is he must have at least used a whole can of WD-40 !

 

[bessie]

I thought Mickey was in the news by 6:30 pm and he went to the hospital after 9.
So unless I'm not remembering correctly, LE and hospitals should have been notified of her missing by the time BSL went to ER.

The JP interviewed BSL between 10 and 11 pm, according to the report. At that time, BSL had already been interviewed for a couple of hours, according to his statement to the JP deputy. Allowing for the usual delays, I'd estimate he arrived about four hours earlier, 6-7 pm. But you're right. By the time the JP spoke to BSL he could have been aware of the BOLO for Mickey. So what was evident in the interview with BSL that would lead the deputy to connect him to Mickey? The missing persons report stated a young woman, 5'1" tall and weighing 115 lbs, missing after riding her bike home in Lafayette, 130 miles away. Looking at the condition of BSL's body in the ER, with multiple stab wounds and a sliced finger, who would have pictured him in an encounter with a young woman matching Mickey's description? No one. Other than the fact he was from Church Point -- which doesn't say much because oil field workers from SWLA are in NOLA all the time -- there was nothing that would lead to that conclusion. Rather, BSL appeared to have been in a fight with a street , which is just what he claimed.

I have a pretty good idea what went through the deputy's mind because it happens here frequently. A guy comes to NOLA from out of town, could be a businessman, could be an offshore worker on his off time. Either way, he's got money, and he's looking to party. He has a few drinks and makes the unwise decision to enter into a transaction with someone he meets on the street. He might pick up a hooker who robs him, or he might go into the 'hood to buy drugs. He might end up in the morgue, or he might end up in the ER with a fishy story just like BSL's because he's for darn sure not going to admit what he was up to. I'd venture to say there were at least two or three other crimes which occurred in NOLA within the previous 24 hours that the deputy would have considered before he drew a correlation to Mickey. I guess it's a matter or perspective. JMO

 

[kkdj]

Hmm, my first thought is he must have at least used a whole can of WD-40 !

I have always thought he cut them off. Were they found floating with the bike or at a different location at WB?

 

[Ihavenoname]

Oops, I meant handlebar grips. They were found the same time as the bike and Mr. Shunick was surprised that they were removed because he and his son had tried to remove them previously and could not.

With all due respect to Mr. Shunick and his son, Mr. Shunick is an engineer in the oil field and might of never had to have ever done that kind of work before and his son was just graduating high school and BSL was an experience mechanic and knew his way around taking things apart. There are ways of doing things that some times the smartest man on the planet can't understand, how to do it and the more seasoned worker will get it done. Again not attacking Mr. Shunick or his son.

 

[Ihavenoname]

Grips are almost impossible to remove without cutting or destroying them. Don't think BSL removed them. Suspect LE removed them possibly trying to recover fingerprints or blood stains? Perhaps they were submerged in water and were easier to remove?

I will have to say different on that call. If you have the experience and the understanding of what a grip is all about, they can be removed fairly easy. If you just starting pulling on them from the end of the handlebars, then yes I will say that they are almost impossible to remove. If you do that then the grip will stretch and tighten on the bar, but if you catch them at the end and work them back, they will pop off with ease. Also if you spray WD40 or any kind of silicon spray or in fact any kind of petroleum product, it will loosen the grip up and you will be able to slide it right off.
Sorry I had to disagree with your theory, not trying to argue, but I am also pretty much mechanically incline, but I don't go around doing the stuff that BSL did.

 

[Ihavenoname]

I have always thought he cut them off. Were they found floating with the bike or at a different location at WB?

He could of very well cut them off and cut himself bad doing it. Just picture someone who is in a hurry and wants to hide finger prints, because maybe that is how he picked up the bike, to throw it in the back of his truck and pulls out a razor knife(most mechanics use them and also terrorist brings down planes with them) and is holding the bike by the grips and he starts to slice the grip and the bike turns and he cuts the finger of the hand that is holding the grip or handle bar.
Remember a razor knife is a razor blade with a handle and you get don't a second chance with that.

 

[Ihavenoname]

Thank you, Backwoods. You explained this much better than I did.
It does not change the outcome. But, now that we know his hand was injured it seems even more odd that he would remove the grips. Since they are so hard to remove I wonder how he did it with the injury. He did a lot during that 20 hrs. Kidnapping, murder, injury, drove home to clean up, hiding the body, dumped bike at WB, visited friend in NO, ER, and removed the bikes grips.

And(I know you are not suppose to start a sentence with and but) maybe his confession is a piece of work to try and make himself look better although that was impossible.

 

[CajunA]

I have always thought he cut them off. Were they found floating with the bike or at a different location at WB?

I really have no idea about that...

 

[Cajun Girl]

My curiosity still surrounds BSL's visit to his parole officer--which happened in late May, IIRC. This man is an RSO, with visible wounds on his body and driving a white truck. For me the NO/JPPD have an easier out, but considering BSL was sitting in front of his appointed officer and gave off no alarm bells has always confounded me. If that officer had called the JPPD officer to get a feel of BSL's story, would justice have been served sooner?

I am not calling anyone out, but my curiousity has not waned on this matter.

 

[K.jill]

It might be interesting to work up a timeline of the hours between the abduction and the visit to the NO hospital. Including everything he said he did during that time and the drive times to each location. She was abducted at approx 1:50am and he was at the Hosp by 8 pm. That gives him 18 hours to get Mickey in the DWT, subdue her, fight with her,drive to a field where he used his gun, put her body back into the DWT, drive home, clean up, wipe bike for prints and remove handle grips, drive to wb, dump bike, drive to NO, visit friend, and go to Hosp. What else did he say he did during that time? Iirc he said he took her body to the cemetary that night so that adds a couple of hrs driving time, I think.
He did all of this with stab wounds and a nearly severed finger. I am sure it is possible to do all of this in 18 hrs but it seems like a lot considering his wounds.

 

[Jkg005]

This makes you wonder...I don't think he'd be that stupid to risk driving in a vehicle that he just had knife fights,and shot someone in the head inside of. But then again, how would the LE be able to say that they placed him around WB area if he wasn't in his truck? Unless they got this info through his cell phone! Technology now a days has spying eyes. Pretty amazing I think.

My best guess would be DNA from the blood at WB or possibly tire tracks that were left there. I don't think Onstar had anything to do with it. When the bike was found LE in one if the news reports stated that the bike was partially submerged and surrounded by trash. I had also heard that the bike was tucked away in a trash pile. This has only been mentioned a couple times here no discussion was ever brought up. Additionally wondered if he may have cut his finger while tucking the bike away and blood was found there. Makes sense to me. This is one thing I hope is cleared up when files are released if ever.

 

[YYCgirl]

I'm sorry if this has been discussed already, but I remember early on before BSL was arrested, talks of a pressure washer being stolen and the place where is was stolen from set on fire. Is this correct? If so has it ever been determined is was not BSL who did that? The fire makes me think it could have been him. Would it be possible to clean the inside of his truck with it?