CA CA - Westlake Village, HispFem 18-30, UP11249, pregnant, in parking lot, Jul'80

[cvaldez1975]

I'm glad Cold Case Files is featuring this case as well as Shirley's. We really need more of a spotlight on Chouest's victims. He really is a monster...impossible to know how many other victims he has out there.

Personally, I'm going to be having him in mind as a possible suspect for murders of young women in California around the late 70s to early 80s, especially ones that seem to fit his disgusting MO, and especially Latina/Native American women as he seemed to go for them more. JMO based off what we know.

there are several latina UID's in the valley that i can think of in the time period. im gonna try to dig a few up.

 

[Springrain]

there are several latina UID's in the valley that i can think of in the time period. im gonna try to dig a few up.

There really are a lot. I'm sure he didn't only go for them, but he seemed to be interested in Latina and Native women. I need to remember to run a NamUs search later for women found in California during this time period.

 

[subaw0067]

There really are a lot. I'm sure he didn't only go for them, but he seemed to be interested in Latina and Native women. I need to remember to run a NamUs search later for women found in California during this time period.

I took a quick look through NAMUS and this one stood out to me.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) - This young woman was found deceased in the back of a van in San Diego in September of 1977. She was found with a plaid "rag" knotted around her neck. I'm going to assume this points to strangulation. She was clothed but that doesn't mean she wasn't assaulted.

 

[Springrain]

FYI Everyone: DNADoeProject will be featured this coming Friday on A&E's Cold Case Files.

The story will focus on the Shirley Soosay and Ventura Jane Doe cases. The episode is titled "The Missing and Murdered".

https://www.aetv.com/schedule?month=5&day=6&year=2022

It will air 9pm Eastern, 8pm Central, 7pm Mountain time, and 6pm & 10pm Pacific time. (please double-check your local listings)
Amazon also streams new episodes usually a week after they air on cable. You can find them on this link (when it’s available, it’ll be at the bottom of the list - it should be number 26)
Cold Case Files Season 2

https://www.amazon.com/.../ref=atv_dp_season_select_s2

Finally got around to watching this - great episode!

 

[Friday Fan]

Just watched it too! Thanks for the reminder!

 

[hafom8840]

What was his profession?

I too ask this

 

[Springrain]

I too ask this

You know, I am really baffled by this, and have not been able to find it anywhere. I haven't seen any indication of him being a drifter (although I suppose he could have been, but I feel like it would have come out already), and he was not a truck driver, and his profession has not been mentioned anywhere that I have seen. This is actually really bugging me. I wonder if he had a job where he was able to move around a lot that was not being a trucker.

I have an endless amount of questions about Chouest and I fear many of them will never be answered. He was a very mysterious, disgusting, vile, piece of garbage "human being".

 

[Friday Fan]

You know, I am really baffled by this, and have not been able to find it anywhere. I haven't seen any indication of him being a drifter (although I suppose he could have been, but I feel like it would have come out already), and he was not a truck driver, and his profession has not been mentioned anywhere that I have seen. This is actually really bugging me. I wonder if he had a job where he was able to move around a lot that was not being a trucker.

I have an endless amount of questions about Chouest and I fear many of them will never be answered. He was a very mysterious, disgusting, vile, piece of garbage "human being".

I think he likely did odd jobs. He was kicked out of the army for drug abuse. Moved to LA in 1972. Got married in 1975. Had his daughter in 1976. Landed in prison in 1977. He got divorced in prison.

His wife probably supported him financially...Just my opinion....

 

[Springrain]

I think he likely did odd jobs. He was kicked out of the army for drug abuse. Moved to LA in 1972. Got married in 1975. Had his daughter in 1976. Landed in prison in 1977. He got divorced in prison.

His wife probably supported him financially...Just my opinion....

I was thinking, it would make sense if he did odd jobs, was an independent contractor, possibly something like a landscaper or gardener...something along those lines. However, no way to know for certain. I'm hoping we get more info on this soon.

 

[hafom8840]

The whole reason as to why I was curious about what his occupation was is just to see if he could be connected to unsolved murders around the same time. Far fetched, I know.

 

[Springrain]

The whole reason as to why I was curious about what his occupation was is just to see if he could be connected to unsolved murders around the same time. Far fetched, I know.

Not far fetched. I have wondered the same. It's relevant in this case and others, because he seems to have had a lot of free time/ability to drive around various parts of California looking for victims.

 

[hafom8840]

Not far fetched. I have wondered the same. It's relevant in this case and others, because he seems to have had a lot of free time/ability to drive around various parts of California looking for victims.

Any possibility he went out of state? I'm not just talking about the bordering Nevada, Oregon, or Arizona mind you, I mean far far away. Texas, South Dakota, hell maybe even Massachusetts.

 

[Springrain]

Any possibility he went out of state? I'm not just talking about the bordering Nevada, Oregon, or Arizona mind you, I mean far far away. Texas, South Dakota, hell maybe even Massachusetts.

It is a very likely possibility, IMO. Chouest was originally from Louisiana and is referred to often as a Louisiana native (born in New Orleans, but I am unsure if this is where he was raised and where he may have lived in Louisiana), and had a pretty thick Southern accent in the interviews (would've stood out in California). He was incarcerated in California around 1977-1980 for kidnapping and raping multiple women in Los Angeles County (besides the known UID victims), who thankfully survived, then he was released and killed Shirley Soosay and this UID in quick succession. Then, when he was connected to the murder this UID, her unborn son and Shirley in 2015, he was arrested for those crimes among others. There is so little we know about him. The vast majority of his life has been unaccounted for. He could have gone anywhere in the US, and possibly outside of the US, and I am not ruling anything out IMO. The lack of information about him really does drive me crazy. I hope more information on his reported whereabouts comes out and can possibly help us piece together timelines that may connect to other unresolved crimes. He was arrested after committing more sexual attacks in 1980.

I truly feel Wilson Chouest was likely to be a prolific serial killer and likely has victims across the country that have never been found or are also UIDs, but have not made a DNA match to him because it was stored improperly, has never been run, or any number of other things. It is also possible, IMO, that he has victims that are not UIDs and may be slightly more well-known, but the connection has never been made to him, for any number of reasons (I am not thinking of any cases in particular, BTW, this is a very loose statement, but one I am keeping in mind). He constantly kidnapped and raped women, he was proven to have killed at least two and IMO, very likely more, and committed a slew of other lesser crimes. With criminals like him, to be frank, you just can't rule anything out (MOO only).

Since we unfortunately only know of his connections to Louisiana and California (I hope we find out more places he lived and nail down some timelines, but IDK where to even start with that), I think consideration of Louisiana Jane Does who fit his MO would be prudent. We don't know, or at least I don't, how long he lived there, if he left and returned for any stretch of time during adulthood, etc. but with the facts about him being a Louisiana native, it is something that should not be overlooked IMO. People like him typically don't just start killing out of the blue. I wouldn't be surprised if he perhaps left behind some victims in Louisiana when he was younger before moving to California. (I know we're unsure of a timeline; just speculation.) From what we know, he seemed to target Native American and Hispanic women, but I have no idea if those were his preferred victims or if that was just coincidental. I'm not ruling out that it was just coincidental, and he may have had black, white, and/or Asian victims elsewhere, but in my gut I feel he enjoyed targeting Native and Hispanic women and may have "had a thing" for them.

Sorry for the rambling. Everyone who's seen me around here knows I'm very passionate about this case, and I have put in a lot of thought about vile Chouest and how much it bothers me how little we know - especially recently with the A&E special. Really disgusting so-called "human being" and I am very glad he is spending the rest of his pathetic life rotting behind bars instead of being out and hurting and killing more innocent women.

I think I'll make a Chouest thread on the Serial Killers subforum if I can figure out how to do that.

I know DDP is on the case with this Jane and I am sure they can figure it out, thank God for DDP and genetic genealogy. This lovely lady and her unborn son deserve to be put to rest with her family.

 

[hafom8840]

It is a very likely possibility, IMO. Chouest was originally from Louisiana and is referred to often as a Louisiana native (born in New Orleans, but I am unsure if this is where he was raised and where he may have lived in Louisiana), and had a pretty thick Southern accent in the interviews (would've stood out in California). He was incarcerated in California around 1977-1980 for kidnapping and raping multiple women in Los Angeles County (besides the known UID victims), who thankfully survived, then he was released and killed Shirley Soosay and this UID in quick succession. Then, when he was connected to the murder this UID, her unborn son and Shirley in 2015, he was arrested for those crimes among others. There is so little we know about him. The vast majority of his life has been unaccounted for. He could have gone anywhere in the US, and possibly outside of the US, and I am not ruling anything out IMO. The lack of information about him really does drive me crazy. I hope more information on his reported whereabouts comes out and can possibly help us piece together timelines that may connect to other unresolved crimes. He was arrested after committing more sexual attacks in 1980.

I truly feel Wilson Chouest was likely to be a prolific serial killer and likely has victims across the country that have never been found or are also UIDs, but have not made a DNA match to him because it was stored improperly, has never been run, or any number of other things. It is also possible, IMO, that he has victims that are not UIDs and may be slightly more well-known, but the connection has never been made to him, for any number of reasons (I am not thinking of any cases in particular, BTW, this is a very loose statement, but one I am keeping in mind). He constantly kidnapped and raped women, he was proven to have killed at least two and IMO, very likely more, and committed a slew of other lesser crimes. With criminals like him, to be frank, you just can't rule anything out (MOO only).

Since we unfortunately only know of his connections to Louisiana and California (I hope we find out more places he lived and nail down some timelines, but IDK where to even start with that), I think consideration of Louisiana Jane Does who fit his MO would be prudent. We don't know, or at least I don't, how long he lived there, if he left and returned for any stretch of time during adulthood, etc. but with the facts about him being a Louisiana native, it is something that should not be overlooked IMO. People like him typically don't just start killing out of the blue. I wouldn't be surprised if he perhaps left behind some victims in Louisiana when he was younger before moving to California. (I know we're unsure of a timeline; just speculation.) From what we know, he seemed to target Native American and Hispanic women, but I have no idea if those were his preferred victims or if that was just coincidental. I'm not ruling out that it was just coincidental, and he may have had black, white, and/or Asian victims elsewhere, but in my gut I feel he enjoyed targeting Native and Hispanic women and may have "had a thing" for them.

Sorry for the rambling. Everyone who's seen me around here knows I'm very passionate about this case, and I have put in a lot of thought about vile Chouest and how much it bothers me how little we know - especially recently with the A&E special. Really disgusting so-called "human being" and I am very glad he is spending the rest of his pathetic life rotting behind bars instead of being out and hurting and killing more innocent women.

I think I'll make a Chouest thread on the Serial Killers subforum if I can figure out how to do that.

I know DDP is on the case with this Jane and I am sure they can figure it out, thank God for DDP and genetic genealogy. This lovely lady and her unborn son deserve to be put to rest with her family.

That's quite a response. It's good to see someone who thinks similarly to me. I have gut feeling that Shirley and VCJD are not his only murder victims. Louisiana does seem like it could be a good place to go looking in regard to this scuzz bucket specifically due to the fact that he was from there. For all I care this guy could be samuel little but just without a plethora of confessions.

I can see you're passionate in this case, even having it as your profile picture. I too am hoping that VCJD gets er name back.

 

[Friday Fan]

He was raised in Louisiana and am pretty sure he was there until he joined the army "a few days after he turned 18", which would have been in December 1969

He was expelled from Catholic school, so I don't know how all this fits in here...Was he in the class of 1969 or class of 1970? (His BD is in December)

When he was expelled from Catholic school, did he attend public school or did his education end? Did he join the army due a court order, which was common back then?
Was he expelled a like age 16 and sat around doing nothing until he joined the army at age 18?


He has alot of family in Louisiana (I'm on one of those genealogy sites and this is where I get birth records, marriage records, divorce records etc)


ETA: The article clarifies he enlisted a few days after he turned 18, which would have been Dec 1969. In 1970, he was kicked out of the army, so we don't know where he was between 1970 and 1972.

 

[Springrain]

OK. Wilson Chouest thread is up now. Everyone feel free to check it out:

CA - Wilson Chouest, suspected SK, known murder victims in Kern and Los Angeles Counties, 1980s

I will preface this thread by saying that, while we know Wilson Chouest's identity, there is so much about him that we do not know. Here's some introductory information to help start: Wilson Chouest was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in December 1951, and is currently 70 years old and...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Springrain]

That's quite a response. It's good to see someone who thinks similarly to me. I have gut feeling that Shirley and VCJD are not his only murder victims. Louisiana does seem like it could be a good place to go looking in regard to this scuzz bucket specifically due to the fact that he was from there. For all I care this guy could be samuel little but just without a plethora of confessions.

I can see you're passionate in this case, even having it as your profile picture. I too am hoping that VCJD gets er name back.

Thank you! I started a Wilson Chouest thread and I am also in the beginning stages of working on a doc with all the information and research we can find about him. Here is the link to the Chouest thread, if you would like to check it out: CA - Wilson Chouest, suspected SK, known murder victims in Kern and Los Angeles Counties, 1980s

It appears to be likely that he lived in Louisiana from birth to his joining the military at around age 17 in 1968, and while 17 is quite young, it is not too young to have murder victims; I am going to be keeping this in mind. It is also unclear as of yet if he returned to Louisiana for any extended period of time after moving to California some time around 1970-1972. He appears to have spent most of his accounted-for life living in California, but who knows where he could have gone during that time? He could have dozens more murder victims out there and God knows how many rape and kidnapping victims. He was a dangerous, sick man.

I'm really hoping we get answers for VCJD in 2022. I am cautiously optimistic. So glad that Chouest is in prison, so at least she has gotten some justice in that sense. Now to bring her back to her family and hopefully, her child(ren) that she had given birth to before will learn that she did not abandon them and had unfortunately been taken from them.

 

[faithx]

He was raised in Louisiana and am pretty sure he was there until he joined the army "a few days after he turned 18", which would have been in December 1969

He was expelled from Catholic school, so I don't know how all this fits in here...Was he in the class of 1969 or class of 1970? (His BD is in December)

When he was expelled from Catholic school, did he attend public school or did his education end? Did he join the army due a court order, which was common back then?
Was he expelled a like age 16 and sat around doing nothing until he joined the army at age 18?


He has alot of family in Louisiana (I'm on one of those genealogy sites and this is where I get birth records, marriage records, divorce records etc)


ETA: The article clarifies he enlisted a few days after he turned 18, which would have been Dec 1969. In 1970, he was kicked out of the army, so we don't know where he was between 1970 and 1972.

This is from the first (there are ten total) parole hearing transcript that I have: "It's noted that the Prisoner dropped out of school at age 15, although he did attend a college under the SETA program and later received his high school equivalency."

 

[Springrain]

This is from the first (there are ten total) parole hearing transcript that I have: "It's noted that the Prisoner dropped out of school at age 15, although he did attend a college under the SETA program and later received his high school equivalency."

I wonder if he went to college in Louisiana, California, or elsewhere, and if he got his GED/high school diploma through a community college? I know that, at least here in Washington, there are community colleges with programs for 18-21 year olds to enroll in to get high school diplomas (not GEDs), I wonder if there was something similar in whatever area he was in at the time.

 

[Friday Fan]

This is from the first (there are ten total) parole hearing transcript that I have: "It's noted that the Prisoner dropped out of school at age 15, although he did attend a college under the SETA program and later received his high school equivalency."

What is SETA?