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Killing Fields

Primetimer

By Primetimer
in Investigation Discovery

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frogprof

frogprof

One quibble: in the South, ladies are "Miz [or "Miss"] Elizabeth." Few of us belles go for that feminazi "Ms." crap.

I'M KIDDING. (Although I myself, unmarried, always refer to myself as "Miss." So I'm a Luddite. So sue me.)

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Jenkins

Jenkins

I thought it was a great premiere episode.

 

Very interesting how far we have come in less than 20 years as far as DNA and investigation techniques.

 

It certainly seems like it is Lee the serial killer who is the murderer. But then that could be editing WANTING us to believe that....

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Calamity Jane

Calamity Jane

I loooooove me some Cajun accents, so I'm like my choco Lab with a catnip mouse (don't ask).  Yes, it's a little heavy on Rodie narration, but I am in for the series for sure.  I need something to fill the Making a Murderer void, especially since I binged that in two days just when it was released.  Good start! 

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MyPeopleAreNordic

MyPeopleAreNordic

(edited)

I live in the greater Baton Rouge area and went to grad school at LSU like Eugenie. I've run around the LSU lakes where her ID & stuff were found (and from where she was likely abducted) tons of times, particularly when I lived close to campus as a grad student. The lakes are also very close to Stanford Avenue, where she and two of DTL's victims lived. Unfortunately, several women have been attacked and found dead in that area. I hadn't heard of Eugenie's case. (There was an attack on a female jogger - she was beat unconscious and left when someone approached - around two years ago or less.)

There was also another serial killer in BR who was active at the same time as DTL - Sean Vincent Gillis. Most of his victims were prostitutes but he did attack, kidnap, and kill a jogger (not from the lakes area) as well. He's currently serving life without parole.

This stinks of "DTL did it." This was absolutely his hunting ground (the LSU area, Stanford Avenue, etc). His MO was dumping bodies in swampy, marshy, rural areas. However, there are other cases that haven't been definitely tied to DTL with DNA and there was at least one other serial killer in the area at that time. I didn't live in BR during the time DTL was active (I moved to the area after he and Gillis were caught), but I was still terrified as I lived in New Orleans and the serial killer was attacking women miles from BR (although in the other direction towards Lafayette). I think I've read most of what's out there about DTL and thinking of some of the cases still gives me shivers and keeps me up late at night.

Edited by MyPeopleAreNordic
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pasdetrois

pasdetrois

I'm going to try to stick with this because I'm a native south Louisianian, a James Lee Burke fanatic (his protagonist is Deputy Sheriff Dave Robicheaux of the New Iberia Sheriff's Department), and I remember some of these cases.

 

But the scripting and staginess are hard to take. Louisianians are a very colorful tribe without the extra drama.

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Jenkins

Jenkins

Awesome to see you here walnutqueen. :)

 

Yes, I am loving this show, I hope it isn't another Curse of Oak Island where they just lead you on every week with no new evidence (that show has gotten SO damn frustrating).

 

The first episode certainly sucked me in...

 

I swear, I start sweating watching the show though....I don't do hot and humid well. I will take cold and snowy any day (Illinois).

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

It took me a little while to find this forum, Jenkins, but you know I'd never miss a new true crime show!  :-)

 

I am SO with you about the humidity.  Those swampy areas make me feel like even the air would be oppressive.  I die every time we get the slightest hint of humidity here in SoCal.

 

Some time ago I read something about the new head of Disco wanting to improve the quality of their original programming, so I'm hoping this show is one of those efforts.  They certainly don't have a good track records (except for Deadliest Catch, I suppose).

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Jenkins

Jenkins

I really hope that is true.

 

Discovery (and History channel for that matter) used to be pretty high quality programming. But they got caught up in all the scripted "reality" stuff.

 

And I grew up in So Cal (Fontana area), so a dry heat doesn't bother me one bit. My grandparents took me and my cousin to Disneyworld in Florida one year during the summer....yeah, won't every do that again! Like I said, hot and humid doesn't work well for me.

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ratgirlagogo

ratgirlagogo

I thought I was going to go for this - but that first episode really put me off.  It already feels so padded. I hate the kind of true crime show that has fifteen minutes of material floating around inside an hour of "local color" and recreations and that's how I felt about episode one.   I'll keep watching this space in case you all make it seem  more worth my while.

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tobeannounced

tobeannounced

They keep saying it's shot in real time, whatever the hell that means.  I thought real time was, well, real time.  This seems to cover a span of time, not one hour in the life of.  Anyway, I'm definitely interested, even though it feels very scripted (shots of conversations in front of burning cane fields, etc.).  But I'm in for a while.

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Jenkins

Jenkins

(edited)

I just don't know if there is enough evidence available to convict anyone at this point (I am NOT Googling to see if they have actually solved this).

 

Even if they find a match for the DNA on her underwear, they can just claim it was consensual.

 

And wow, the guy they brought in was pretty damn creepy. How do you forget you were arrested for masturbating in public? And he seemed to show zero reaction to the photos of a dead body. I am in my 40's and have seen a lot of things I wish I hadn't, but pictures of dead bodies still send shivers down my spine. I could not just casually glance at them with an "eh" attitude.

 

So guess we have three total suspects. Bench masturbator, DTL and the boyfriend they only know the first name of (no CLUE how they will track him down).

Edited by Jenkins
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missy jo

missy jo

Another true crime fanatic here, but I only made it through half the episode. The guy in the wifebeater sitting on a lawn chair in front of his trailer was the detective?! Lol, nope. And it seemed sooo scripted, like a reenactment show.

However, it was fun to hear a legitimate (and uniquely Louisiana) southern accent. When actors try to do it, they usually sound like they're auditioning for Gone With the Wind.

Having said that, others seem to like it, so maybe I'll give it another shot.

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

I am so liking this show - and I don't want to read the reviews or recaps trashing it to bring me down.

 

Wifebeater wearing old dick is totally redeemed in my eyes by 2 scenes.  The first, when he admits he connects with Eugenie because of her obvious despair and loneliness over a failed marriage and wanting an "every night person", and how he knows how desperately one wants and needs human connection.  Second, his obvious affection for the burro, pony & chickens he and wife #6 are raising.  Call me a fool, but that gives him a heart and a soul in my book.  Not sayin' he's ideal marriage material, but some dead girls might want him in their corner, no matter his failings in his personal life.  Hey, some of us retirees have a slate of failed relationships under our belts; we just didn't marry everyone we loved, and are not defined by those failures.  :-)

 

And - news flash - anyone who has watched a single episode of Cold Justice knows full well how much new information can be gleaned from interviewing old witnesses, and how many new ones pop up.

 

Also, I do not understand the complaints about slow pacing.  This world is obsessed with instant gratification, but in reality, many things in life evolve slowly, including a murder investigation.  I, for one, am completely OK with the pace of this case - not everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow in an hour (ok, 38 minutes), despite how the CSI franchise has bastardized our perceptions.

 

I don't even care if the case was "solved"; life is messy and full of unanswered questions, but if you don't get something out of the journey, it's wasted on many of us.

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Jenkins

Jenkins

(edited)

Great post.

 

Yeah, I saw that little mini burro and immediately wanted one (I am bad like that when it comes to animals).

 

I am perfectly fine with the pacing.

 

I have read some people don't like the scripting, but the fact is, the scripting is minimal. It isn't like it is Alaskan Bush People type scripting....but it also isn't The First 48 type of pure reality either.

 

I am really enjoying it. It is one of those shows where I am so engrossed in it that the credits start popping up and I am wondering where the last 40 minutes went (I DVR everything and FF commercials).

 

I do wonder how someone like Rodie isn't so jaded that an individual murder just doesn't mean anything to him anymore. You can tell this one just bothered him SO much and for the reasons WQ listed.

Edited by Jenkins
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pasdetrois

pasdetrois

(edited)

I think the second episode was better than the first. I like seeing more of the other folks involved in the case, and less of the self-conscious "acting" by people like the horse lady and the Alligator Bar owner.

 

 

Man, these witness statements are super shady..

It's hard to believe that the witnesses would make up stuff just to be on TV, but the timing is weird. Did no one to whom Eugenie complained about being scared step forward at the time of the murder?

 

I wonder if the suspect (person of interest?) they interviewed clammed up and got nervous because he's black and was being aggressively grilled by a southern white detective. Although he was pixeled out, it looked to me as if he is a black man.

 

The burro (donkey) is adorable!

 

I wonder how this series came to be. Did Rodie approach the producers, or did the producers recognize the popularity of True Detectives and go searching for a story?

 

As much as I love the Louisiana swamps and wetlands, every time they venture in there, all I can think about is MOSQUITOES.

Edited by pasdetrois
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teddysmom

teddysmom

I watched a little of the first epi this morning and it seemed like they were trying to illustrate how much this would be like the first season of True Detective.

I didn't have time to watch much past when Rodie asked to re open the case. Does it get better?

I'm not hearing any buzz about it ala Making a Murderer, so I assumed it wasn't as compelling. But maybe because we can't binge it all at once?

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Lizzing

Lizzing

I caught up on the first 2 episodes on the ID reairing tonight.  I've lived in Baton Rouge for most of my life and was in grad school at LSU during the time of this murder, so I'm a tad invested in how this show plays out and portrays the case and the area.  As far as I can remember, the Boisfontaine murder didn't "ping" any extra panic around the LSU area at the time.  There certainly weren't any alerts distributed to the students in my program, and it wasn't anything like the DTL panic of '02 & '03.

 

Overall, I'm finding this a bit on the slow side, and way too heavy on the "local color" of the Cajun detective.  I'm guessing they're hoping to bank on the popularity of "True Detective" with all of that?  

 

I'm frankly flummoxed at the off handed treatment that the Alligator Bayou Bar has in the story, as if it was some kind of usual college area hang out.  Until tonight, I had never heard of it, and, after Gmapping it, I'm still not exactly sure how to get there....and I'm pretty sure I don't want to.  It's certainly not an LSU bar. 

 

I wonder how this series came to be. Did Rodie approach the producers, or did the producers recognize the popularity of True Detectives and go searching for a story?

 

 

Sirens Media brought up the possibility of bringing the investigation back to life.  The local paper had an article on it here: http://theadvocate.com/news/14492534-172/iberville-detectives-say-their-televised-investigation-into-cold-case-homicide-shows-a-real-probe-wi

 

I really do hope the case is eventually solved.

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Jenkins

Jenkins

Good article.

 

I found this part interesting:

 

"When pressed about whether the show will finally bring closure to the unsolved mystery when it concludes its six-episode run, Hebert responded, “You’ll have to watch to find out.”

 

The show’s producer, Joseph Schneier, says Hebert isn’t being coy, they just don’t know yet if Boisfontaine’s killer will be caught since the show is still filming and the investigation remains ongoing."

 

So THAT is what they mean by "real time". The show is still filming.

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

I actually wouldn't mind if this case wasn't solved, as it would reflect the reality of investigations in general and cold cases in particular.  What I appreciate is the efforts put forth by people invested in doing everything they can to solve a mystery or bring some resolution to the victims and their families.  Life is full of loose ends and unresolved issues ...

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Lizzing

Lizzing

(edited)

After this episode, I'm having a hard time not calling total bullshit on this show.

 

First, if this is the first time the Iberville SO ever got their hands on the Baton Rouge cops' missing person case notes, they were incompetent in 1997.  That should have been the first thing they did.

 

Second, if Rhody had to drive around to umteen number of gas stations to find the former cabbie, he's seriously lacking as a cop.  Even in'97 they could run driver license checks to get a home address, so this isn't some new technology like song ringtones or Google.  Plus there are business license data bases and other ways to run that information down, that someone in the squad should have looked into.  And, not to be indelicate about the cabbie's physical limitations, but they should have asked him when he lost the arm, if he previously said he waved to the victim when driving by.

 

Third, and most appallingly. was that faux dead body check at the church.  The chyron put in in East Baton Rouge Parish, and the sign on the church property specifically said "Burtsville, LA" which is a defunct "town" of EBRP.  If someone (who?! the hell was out there in the first place smelled decomp?), the EBRP sheriff's office would have been dispatched, not Iberville's SO.  East Baton Rouge Parish is covered by the sheriff's office and we have city cops too, so there are far more cops to do this kind of work and would never be outsourced to a neighboring, smaller staffed parish unless there was some crazy sort of emergency going down, which wasn't the case. Total production set up.

 

This show is pissing me off, because I want the case solved, like so many unsolved murders in this damn town.  And this show is wasting time on dead pets out of their jurisdiction and old cop drinking buddies.

Edited by Lizzing
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GreyBunny

GreyBunny

Totally agree. The entire episode was a steaming pile of horseshit. Even with Star Trek levels of technology these people would still be hopelessly incompetent.

That asshole cop really couldn't care less about his wife; joking about blowing off the house signing told me all I need to know about their marriage.

I'll bet anything the "Robert" guy is just another stupid time-wasting red herring.

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pasdetrois

pasdetrois

(edited)

 

After this episode, I'm having a hard time not calling total bullshit on this show.

 

Agreed, and disappointed. That was a whole lot of nuthin'.  Someone sneezes, they all raise their eyebrows meaningfully and proclaim "this is important" and it comes to nothing.

 

I used to produce TV so I appreciate the challenge of trying to solve the case in real time and getting the episodes edited and up on the screen. But they've seriously misjudged about how much amped-up dramatic fake filler to include.

 

Legally speaking, is Rhody really even a re-hired detective, or is he just showing up for the cameras? I suppose he must be on the payroll, because otherwise surely he wouldn't be allowed to interview suspects and so on. But his casually recruiting another former detective sure blurs the lines between what's real and what's fake TV.

 

When they were digging up the dead dog, all I could think about was them trampling all over the crime scene. Plus, I'm annoyed they lingered over the repulsive image of the dog just for the shock effect.

 

If Rhodie has been married six times, it ain't the job causing problems - it's Rhody.

Edited by pasdetrois
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tobeannounced

tobeannounced

Unfortunately, I have to agree with y'all.  I really wanted to like this, but there's just so much wtf.  Like the Robert guy.  So apparently good friends helped Eugenie get ready for this mystery date, after the fact they felt like they got her ready for her murder, and they never told the cops during the original investigation?

 

The dog thing was just annoying.  I was thinking the whole time, "It's a dog.  We all know it's a dog."

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Jenkins

Jenkins

Yup, but I assumed they still hadn't ruled him out.

 

Whatever was on her underwear could have been consensual before she was murdered.

 

And I do agree with the above posters, that I could have done without digging the dead dog up for dramatic purposes. I wish they would cut the scripted crap out, but sadly...this is about as real as reality TV gets anymore.

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

3 different male DNA profiles - I guess it could be consensual, or maybe she didn't change her chonies often ... but it does make one wonder what the hell happened to the poor girl.

 

That dead dog in a suitcase stuff really turned me off.  And I had such high hopes for this show.  sigh.  Well, at least I'm still enjoying some of the other stuff.

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Jenkins

Jenkins

That thought crossed my mind as well....that she hadn't changed underwear in a while...gross, but a possibility.

 

I DO know the one new suspect is suspicious as hell. I immediately caught the "we always parked" line that guy gave after having said they maybe did her lawn ONCE. You don't "always" park somewhere you visit once...so he screwed up there. I was surprised they didn't press him on that. But maybe they are playing their cards close to their vest in an attempt to get him to screw up more?

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

Yes, and also, what about the gardener saying she was wearing a shirt with no underwear?  Didn't he also mention that his helper had remarked about her watching them through the windows?  Was that the same day?  So many questions ...

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pasdetrois

pasdetrois

 

I immediately caught the "we always parked" line that guy gave after having said they maybe did her lawn ONCE.

I thought he made this statement about their practice at all the houses, but maybe he meant in front of the victim's house.

 

The clothes with no underwear scenario is weird. Why would she be knowingly dressed that way in front of yard workers?

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tobeannounced

tobeannounced

(edited)

pasdetrois, he did say "houses."  I rewound because the detective watching from the other room jumped on it, and I was like, "Hold the phone."  Sounded to me like the guy was making a general statement, not particular to Eugenie's house.  Maybe his old boss is lying about how often the other guy had been there and his statement about Eugenie peeking at him to put the focus elsewhere.  Who knows.

Edited by tobeannounced
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Jenkins

Jenkins

Ok, that DOES make sense then (about the "always" remark).

 

So then I think we are back to the main suspect being Robert.

 

Since DTL died yesterday, I wonder if the guy who did do it (if it wasn't DTL), couldn't just come forward, say he was great friends with DTL and DTL confessed to him he murdered her. No way to disprove it now...

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aurora296

aurora296

I agree, I wasn't buying their investigation tactics with this last episode. Her friends suddenly remembers her talking about a "Robert" right before she vanished? 

 

I wonder how many time Rhody's been married? He never mentions it. ~sarcasm~

 

Hopefully not another red herring for a future episode, but why would Eugenie's ex husband need to contact his lawyer before he'd allow the detectives to interview him?

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auntjess

auntjess

 

pasdetrois, he did say "houses."  I rewound because the detective watching from the other room jumped on it, and I was like, "Hold the phone."

When I can't be sure of what was said, on any show, I turn on closed captions.

And Louisiana accents can be difficult sometimes.

 

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Redcookie

Redcookie

Here's my issue....the man worked this case originally. The friends they talked to in the episode, were friends Originally. How on earth could the news that she did have boyfriend not have come up originally? That issue alone makes me want to stop watching.

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Grumpbump

Grumpbump

I may come across as disrespectful but Mr. Grumpbump and I have ourselves a bit of laugh every time they drawl out Ewwwwwgenay Baaaawwwfontaine.

Also, my cats like to shit in my backyard and it got to smelling something fierce. Told Mr. Grumpbump to give Aubry and Rodie a call.

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