Evidence in this Episode

Check out the Evidence Files.

Note: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain inaccuracies or discrepancies when compared to the actual audio. Please refer to the audio for the most accurate representation.

Tucker Simmons: What’s up, guys? It’s me again. Y’all have been showing out in the reviews, and we really appreciate all the support. Here are a few from the last week.

Joe Tiger says “The truth is out there. I’m really enjoying listening to the methodical way you’re breaking down the events surrounding your aunt’s tragic circumstances. It must be tough to tell a story that’s so close to you, but the truth will always come out. Keep digging.” Well, Joe, I can tell you we’re still digging. Thanks so much.

Beau’s ma says, “Mesmerizing. This podcast has me on the edge of my seat each week. Washington Parish is a small town with lots of hidden secrets, and Tucker Simmons is shining the light on one of the scariest secrets this small town has. I pray for Donna’s family that in the end, the killer and those who helped cover it up are brought to justice. Great job, Tucker. Fearless.” I don’t always feel fearless, but thanks so much, Beau’s Ma.

And here’s one more. I’m Lovinit985 says, “I’ve enjoyed every podcast. Each one leaves me wanting more. It’s a travesty that this murder case has gone cold when it could have and should have been solved immediately. I’m on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next episode. At the same time, I’m checking local news and expecting an arrest. It’s that good.”

Well, thanks so much. I’m loving it. We appreciate the support and passion for justice for Donna. And I’ll see you in the reviews next week.

Narrator: The claims, views and opinions expressed are those of the speaker and do not represent those of. But Why Media or its Partners. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. This is a podcast about difficult topics and it may not be suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Demmie Rice: These are all the photos that you were sent.

Tucker Simmons: There’s a couple more.

Demmie Rice: That’s what I’m gonna tell you.

Tucker Simmons: There’s hundreds more from the crime scene.

Demmie Rice: There’s hundreds more. I know where they come from.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): Why does he care?

TJ (Donna’s brother): Because Randy had him in there. That’s the reason he cares. To make it look like Randy was trying to do everything he can to solve it because he’s losing this election.

Jason Smith (Sheriff Candidate): So you think about all the people across Parish that don’t have closure. Donna Arceneaux family is just the highest profiled. It’s the one we know about. It’s just the tip of the iceberg.

‘Something Strange’ by Tabitha Meeks: I’m feeling heavy. There’s a pounding in my Chest the shadows hiding But I see the silhouettes Fear lives in the quiet whispers in the silence.

Tucker Simmons: I’m Tucker Simmons, and this. Is Freeze Frame, an investigation into the unsolved murder of Donna Arceneaux.

‘Something Strange’ by Tabitha Meeks: Something strange in the air tonight.

Tucker Simmons: We established at the end of episode six how Donna’s case had made its way into the campaign for Sheriff. After years of digging for answers, her case was finally getting the attention it deserved.

Tucker Simmons: I’ve spoken to Donna’s middle child, Brennon, periodically throughout the years. He lived back home with his mom for a while and was able to shed light on her relationships and state of mind towards the end of her life. He’s in the military now and lives out of state with his wife and their new baby. He was the point of contact for the sheriff’s office to return the custody of Donna’s home to the family, the coroner’s office, and the crematory. I was neck deep in leads interviews and putting pieces together, and we hadn’t spoken in a while. So when the billboard went up, I checked in.

Brennon (Donna’s Son): As far as, like, billboard and everything, man, I haven’t. I haven’t been good, to be honest with you. Yeah, it’s bringing up a lot of stuff. Been getting a lot of messages, notifications. The detective called me about a week and a half ago. He sounded like, new detective on case. just recently appointed. and he was, like, touching base and asking who you were. I was like, old, old relation. Cares about my mom.

Tucker Simmons: Did he say when he was assigned to the case by chance?

Brennon (Donna’s Son): I don’t believe so. He’s just touching base and saying he was, just, appointed to the case.

Tucker Simmons: If there is a new detective on the case. I mean, that’s incredible news, because that wasn’t the case in June. So, you know, whatever sparked them putting someone new on case I think is a good development.

Brennon (Donna’s Son): Right. Which is what I told him. he was like, yeah, we haven’t given up. And I was like, well, I would hope not.

Tucker Simmons: Investigator Hughes was assigned to Donna’s case sometime in July 2023. As far as we can tell, whether it was before or after the billboard went up is unclear, But I do know via a source at the state police, there was quite a frenzy when I submitted a records request for the case file in late June 2023. As I’ve said, it was denied, as was all documentation I requested dating back to 2012.

Brennon (Donna’s Son): I just came into the house and it was just, ah, a wreck. Honestly, it was the best way I can describe it. Is it wasn’t my mother’s house just because of. Just how unkempt and dirty it was, because my mom always kept a clean house.

Tucker Simmons: Were there like laptops or iPads or SD cards and stuff like that that you found?

Brennon (Donna’s Son): Yeah, I found quite, a few, SD cards, but it was mostly just, family photos. It wasn’t anything crazy. There was a recording on the iPad, ipod of them fighting her and Clay, that was going through their divorcee bullshit. I, ended up giving it to my brother, and he ended up turning into the police because I’m pretty sure I gave him, like the one or two laptops that we found in the house. I gave them to his dad because, you know, Scott was still, incarcerated. So I gave him Jeff to do whatever he wanted to with it.

Tucker Simmons: And from my understanding, the family took things that they wanted and the rest went to the flea market. Is that correct?

Brennon (Donna’s Son): Yeah, pretty much. and. And then, what this was. This was a thing that, I don’t know. It was. That was weird to me. I found out later that, from the lady that owns the flea market, that Scott, came and bought pretty much everything and put it back in the house.

Tucker Simmons: I had heard this previously and found it strange, too. For a long time, I thought Donna’s bed was also purchased back, which would be frightening. But I’ve since learned it was actually left behind when Lee Kelly, the owner of a local consignment store and flea market, completed her cleanout of the home. Lee confirmed Scott made two trips to her shop in Franklinton. The first visit, he purchased the bulk of the items he wanted back. The second time, he was looking for a lamp. Lee referred to it as a ginger jar style lamp with what looked like a homemade lampshade made of an old sweater. Buying furniture and items back doesn’t make you a killer, and everyone grieves differently, but it does strike me as kind of weird, given the circumstances. The other thing that caught my attention after the billboard went up was how many people were itching to share what they knew. I mean, a ton of people were writing in with various incidents they witnessed at Donna’s home, screenshots of text messages and theories of their own. A lot about Clay and Donna’s rough marriage and what some classified as violent and obsessive. Several suggesting Michelle’s boyfriend John had more to do with the night Donna was killed than anyone knows, though I’ve not made any connections to support that. And most of the allegations were in reference to his two previous marriages. For legal purposes, I won’t go into the details, but based on statements to investigators that we’ve obtained, his behavior with Donna may not be isolated. As we sifted through all the tips, One name stood out in a majority of Michelle Thomas, Donna’s spiritual counselor. As I’ve stated a few times before, the rumors about Michelle run far and wide, and many people believe she’s either responsible for Donna’s murder or, at the very least, was there when it happened. I’ve based my opinion on Michelle on her involvement in Donna’s case, not the things I hear about her. For the record, we did a lot of digging into Michelle Her story is very well documented and I find her credible. But the constant focus on Michelle is detrimental to Donna’s case. It’s wasting time and energy. And if I’m wrong, I’ll be the first to admit it. I didn’t plan on going deep into the allegations, but after our due diligence in the investigation, it was clear to me many of the rumors were not true. However, after the tidal wave of concerns submitted through the tip line, I feel an obligation to address the most common ones in detail so we can move on.

Tucker Simmons: Do you have warrants for your arrest in Sevierville, Tennessee?

Michelle Thomas: I do not and never have, no, sir.

Tucker Simmons: And where would that have come from?

Michelle Thomas: The same source of all the rumors that originate and get spread. Just someone’s imagination and stuff like that is so easily verified or disverified. I don’t even know why they would do stuff like that.

Tucker Simmons: Your first husband, I guess, was arrested for fraud.

Michelle Thomas: He was.

Tucker Simmons: And the allegation is that you were just as involved as he was.

Michelle Thomas: That’s incorrect. first of all, the FBI arrested him because he was in a life of crime, of insurance fraud. And I can assure you, just like this case, they checked me front, back and sideways because how could you be married to a criminal and not know it? I guess just raised. Very sheltered. I didn’t see the signs. And to this day, they are still conning people.

Tucker Simmons: After a thorough search of Tennessee fugitives, There are no records or warrants for Michelle that we found. If anyone listening has information that we haven’t been able to obtain, Please contact us at freezeframepodcast.com I went on to ask Michelle about how she affords her lifestyle on a traveling pastor’s pay. Many of the allegations suggest she’s involved in her ex husband’s fraud.

Michelle Thomas: The gospel shouldn’t cost. There are times where I’ve had to take my Expenses when I’ve traveled a long way and I, maybe had to have a hotel room, you can pretty much call anybody I’ve preached for and I’ve either give the offering back or I don’t take it at all. According to my lifestyle, I’m not real sure what they mean. My husband is retired from the Air Force. He makes an incredible living. Before I met my husband, I lived in Bogalusa in a two bedroom shack. I would love to ask them what lifestyle you’re talking about. The lifestyle I acquired when I met my husband because I didn’t have this lifestyle before him. So it’s easy to assume stuff and Washington Parish is so noted for that. But you gotta have fact to back it.

Tucker Simmons: One of the other suggestions as to how Michelle affords her lifestyle is that she’s part of a human trafficking ring that sells women into the sex industry and that Michelle was potentially recruiting Donna on behalf of her boyfriend at the time.

Michelle Thomas: I’m almost just offended to even answer that. Human trafficking, women, where do I get these women? Where’s the evidence of that? Find one woman that I would have done this to, don’t you think I’d be in prison? Tucker? I don’t even know how to answer that last one. Dear, dear God. An, eye for an eye. If they’re going to tell a lie, if they’re going to try to defame a character, make them prove it, and if they can’t, expose them for the liar that they are.

Tucker Simmons: There are people in the community who are potentially involved in a scheme of this kind. But once again, we have found no evidence proving Michelle is linked. If anyone listening has proof of her involvement, please contact us@freezeframepodcast.com the most shocking allegation I’ve seen from the tip line and on social media hits close to home. As someone who’s experienced a loved one suffer from cancer, did Michelle really fake breast cancer and raise money to get a breast augmentation?

Michelle Thomas: I have medical records that I’m going to send you. In fact, I posted them on my Facebook after three failed lumpectomies and they could not get clear margins. I had to have a double mastectomy. Tucker, ain’t a person that would ever tell you that somebody goes and has their breasts removed with the scars that I’m left with to get fake boobs. If I showed you my chest, you would immediately get furious with whoever said that. Nobody gets a double mastectomy and lives like this.

Tucker Simmons: Michelle provided her medical records and Louisiana Medicaid statements, which do confirm she was treated for breast cancer. I also asked the hospital to send me the records directly. They did, and the documents match what Michelle provided. As for the fundraiser, Michelle claims it raised around $1,000 to help with expenses, including getting to and from New Orleans for treatment. Finally, Michelle’s sons were in and out of jail as teens and often come up in the tip line. The most common suggestion is that their addictions began because she was involved in the drug business herself. And she can’t be trusted in Donna’s case.

Michelle Thomas: So it’s the same stuff. Her husband was a criminal. He sure was. That’s why I got away. And then my children, because of that divorce, because of that stigma on their dad, they got on drugs. Because I wasn’t wealthy, I had to work 16 and 17 hours a day waitressing, in Bogalusa to provide for those children. I went from being married to a criminal that was a mastermind that could hide it well to a criminal that wore a badge. I guess my picker’s wrong. So both times, thought I was getting a man in the church. But I’m not out there running them down. So if that’s what they need to do to save face. Because God forbid Michelle ever go to talking. Michelle might tell the conversations that went on in my living room. Michelle might with tell conversations that are heard at the police station. But before Michelle gets to talking, we gotta ruin her name in the community.

Tucker Simmons: So much of this is irrelevant to Donna’s case, and I’m sure many of you are wondering why I even included it. To be honest, I went back and forth on it. It’s not my job to correct the local rumor mill, but the constant focus on Michelle has wasted so much time. I appreciate the tips, don’t get me wrong. But we’ve done our very best to verify her claims pertaining to Donna’s case and feel confident in her story. I’ll say it again, though. If anyone listening has actual proof of anything that would discredit Michelle’s story in relation to Donna’s case, I beg you to contact me.

Tucker Simmons: The billboard generated incredibly valuable tips and background on, Donna’s state of mind before her death and those with potential motive. But the break we had all been waiting for finally came late one evening as I was driving home from Louisiana.

Tucker Simmons: Hey, guys. Sorry for the late call. Look, I think we just got what we’ve been waiting for. Someone just uploaded 200 plus files via WhoKilledDonna.com. I have really bad service, so I can’t get them to load, but it looks like crime scene photos and a bunch of documents, so download and back them up ASAP.

Tucker Simmons: Via WhoKilledDonna.com we received hundreds of crime scene and other relevant photos in addition to hundreds of pages of documentation on the case. One of those documents was Donna’s autopsy, which we’ve already addressed, but here are a few more details.

Narrator: Toxicology revealed clonazepam, known as Klonopin, was found in Donna’s system. It’s prescribed to treat anxiety, panic disorders, epilepsy, insomnia, and other conditions. Among its side effects, when taken in excess are suicidal thoughts and ideations. The levels found in Donna’s toxicology are well below the recommended daily dosage. The autopsy reveals both entry and exit wounds are 2 1/2 inches left of the midline and 9 inches from the top of the shoulder. Dr. DeFatta notes there’s an area of soot and searing surrounding the entrance wound with an area measuring 5 millimeters from the 4:00 to 11:00 position and 1 centimeter from the 11:00 to 4:00 position. Sexual assault nurses performed a rape kit. Evidence of blood transfer and droplets on Donna’s body were collected by the DNA analyst attending the autopsy. And multiple swabs for DNA and fingernail clippings were collected.

Tucker Simmons: As Dr. DeFatta has repeatedly stated, and as his thorough autopsy proves, he always suspected homicide. One thing was missing, though. The official time of death states 99. 99, meaning it’s undetermined. I have an idea, though. If you remember, Clay claimed Donna called him on Sunday between 11pm and midnight. Investigators tell me his alibi was solid and his then girlfriend verified he did speak to Donna late that night. The last communication from Donna’s phone was around 2am Monday morning when she sent the “I Love You” texts Sherry described in episode one. Whether or not we believe Donna actually sent those messages, there’s no way of knowing right now. So let’s just say she did. That’s the last time anyone heard from her. It’s my belief that, based on that information and conversations with multiple sources, Donna was killed sometime between 11pm Sunday night and 3am Monday morning. The most revealing details yet were found in the 314 photos included in the upload. Up to this point, all I had were faded memories from investigators and Michelle about what the scene really looked like. It’s hard to explain the feeling of hovering over a giant folder of photos, knowing that for years I was able to choose what I wanted to imagine the scene looking like, but with the tap of my finger, it was about to be real. No more sugarcoating. No more imagining what I wanted it to look like. No more last memory of Aunt Donna dressed to a T walking out of the grocery store. There’s been a lot of confusion in the media about the scene, and as tough as I knew it would be for the sake of this investigation and to clear up the misconceptions, I knew I had to do it. The photos began at the back door. The floor is scattered with leaves and debris from foot traffic. A mop and broom lean against the wall next to the laundry room, and a bag of kitchen trash is propped against the wall on the other side of the mudroom. The laundry room is cluttered and two baskets full of random items are on the floor. On the kitchen counter sit glass bottles that appear to be red wine, Donna’s favorite. They have no labels and are placed in a decorative wooden box. Donna was pretty crafty, so if I had to guess, she probably made it. In front of the bottles, inside a cardboard tray is the shell of one egg cracked in half. A dish towel lies on top of a plate next to a yellow pitcher, as if Donna was going to make Kool Aid or sweet tea. The other side of the kitchen counter, where the oven is, are several unidentifiable prescription bottles, among all the other random things most of us also have on our counters. The kitchen island has two vases with flowers, a fruit bowl, and a baking sheet with what appears to be three uncooked dinner rolls. We’ve heard a lot about the pork chops in Donna’s sink, and the next picture confirmed it. Four thick, boneless pork chops, each individually sealed in a freezer bag, are thawed out on the left side of the sink. On the lower level of the bar style kitchen table lies a dark gray laptop. The living room was cluttered with hairbrushes, blankets, two storage bins, a container of cereal on the couch, and a paper plate covered with chicken nuggets, a few fries and ketchup. In the doorway between the living room and the hallway to the bedrooms lies evidence marker number one identifying a dried blood droplet. Both kids rooms appear disheveled, almost like Donna was planning to move. Clothes piled up, hangers everywhere, a feeling of chaos. Further down the hall are evidence markers 2, 3, and 4 identifying three more dried blood droplets outside Donna’s bedroom door. And this is where it gets tough. There’s no way to prepare for what I knew I was about to see. All the curtains are drawn. Evidence Marker 5 sits in front of Donna’s large wooden bed, identifying another blood droplet. Marker 6 identifies a shell casing on the floor on the left side of the bed. Marker 7 is on the bed, the left side next to the murder weapon, a 9 millimeter with a spent shell casing lodged in the ejection port. Evidence marker 8 sits next to the bloody 90 degree angle on the right side of the bed. It appears to be a contact mark where an item was removed. Next to it is number nine. This is where the projectile that traveled through Donna was found in the mattress. No blood appears to be surrounding the entry point at the foot of the bed. On the mattress is a green and camouflaged backpack and two sets of keys, one with a Mercedes key fob attached, presumably Michelle’s. As you might remember, she said she left her keys either on the bed or the dresser and the detective had to go back to get them. On the floor between the bed and the right side nightstand is evidence marker 10 next to an iPhone with a black, orange and camouflage case in front of the nightstand on the right side of the bed, on her back lies Donna, wearing only a camouflage T shirt. I won’t go into much detail other than to say her lower body is marked with drops and smudges of blood and what appears to be a thumbprint on her inner right thigh. The entry wound to her lower left breast is partially visible through a tattered hole in her shirt. A few feet away in the bathroom are evidence markers 11 and 12 identifying a smudge of blood on the floor and next to it a white towel with scattered smears of blood. After viewing these photos, I felt sick to my stomach. I still do when I think about it. But like on many occasions throughout this process, I was also enraged. How could anyone claim to be an investigator, look at the facts on scene, not prior knowledge of Donna’s history with anxiety and depression, and believed she committed suicide? I thought maybe I was just too emotional, too close to the case. So I asked for some advice from a couple third party investigators, one of which recently worked a high profile case in St. Tammany Parish. Here’s what he said.

Retired Detective: When that round hit her through the heart, she wouldn’t have gone to the fucking bathroom. Lividity is consistent with the position she was found in. However, this is what I’ll tell you. There’s some wacky shit going on here. Drops and transfer onto her legs. Her arms bent at the elbows with hands in the air next to her chest. Those patterns are tough to explain in a suicide case. And there’s no way she fell off the bed and landed in that position. I won’t tell you it’s 100% homicide. I need to see more. But dude, this is a fucking murder.

Tucker Simmons: I’m no seasoned law enforcement officer, but I know what I saw in those photos and I agree. Demmie and I met a few weeks after receiving the anonymous upload. Here’s a montage of her thoughts on a few key points.

Demmie Rice: I want to point something out. Let me go back to this. When they executed the search warrant by Raymond Myers. Oh, all this was left. Ah, that’s a laptop. All that stuff was left.

Tucker Simmons: So how long after was that search warrant issued?

Demmie Rice: A few days. They still had the key to the house. This phone, had, ah, it’s a camouflage phone. It wasn’t in service. That’s what she had seven $100 bills in on her inner right thigh, but right here is a thumb print. Cuz imagine if you would have picked her up, where would your thumb be?

Tucker Simmons: Between her legs.

Demmie Rice: Left thumb. State police crime lab said it was smudged, they couldn’t get it. And this is like somebody or something had to drip this blood back down on her. These are all the photos that were you were sent.

Tucker Simmons: There’s a couple more

Demmie Rice: This I’m gonna tell you. There’s hundreds more.

Tucker Simmons: From the crime scene?

Demmie Rice: There’s hundreds more. I know where they come from. Who would have sent that to you.

Demmie Rice: Wanna turn this off? Because I’m dying for a cigarette.

Tucker Simmons: Okay, perfect.

Tucker Simmons: We went out on the porch, the famous porch. She had a cigarette, I had a beer. And a while later, she put steaks on the grill. Over dinner we had an emotional conversation about how taxing this process can be. I have a newfound respect for law enforcement who do this for decades and somehow find a way to turn it all off when they get home to their loved ones. I was having a hard time doing that. My obsession with solving this case was keeping me up at night. Demmie’s advice was to take a break, clear my head and come back to it with fresh eyes. That’s what I did for a while. The sheriff’s election started heating up. I kept a close eye and attended a few events when I could, but otherwise laid low, reviewing tips as they came in and planning my next move. Until one morning, while on my way to get a haircut, I got a disturbing call from Donna’s brother, T.J.

TJ (Donna’s brother): I just got a phone call from a guy that wants to meet up around 2:00 to talk about Donna’s case. I didn’t ask him and I should have. He was this goin’ on and on. They brought him in to do some investigating and I said, well, let me call Tucker and see if he knows anything about this. I didn’t even catch his name.

Tucker Simmons: Do you have his phone number? What can I, can you look at what number he called you from?

TJ (Donna’s brother): 504. #&@%

Tucker Simmons: Was he State Police, or?

TJ (Donna’s brother): Yeah, he, yeah, he was a retired state guy out of New Orleans. He said it or something like that. And they called him in to do some more investigating. Calling you to see if you knew anything about it or if you wanted to go with me down there or whatever.

Tucker Simmons: I’m actually in Tennessee right now. I’m not going to be back down there until, tomorrow morning actually. So he wants to meet with you at 2pm today?

TJ (Donna’s brother): Yes, sir.

Tucker Simmons: Okay. I mean, if he is with the state police, then, then you definitely should meet with them. If it’s, if it’s just somebody poking around, wanting to be nosy, I would be cautious. So I would just say confirm that he actually is a detective with the state police.

TJ (Donna’s brother): Well, he’s in, he’s in the sheriff’s office right now down in Bogalusa. He wanted me to be the first one that he spoke with.

TJ (Donna’s brother): Why? I have no idea.

Tucker Simmons: I don’t know, man. I mean, look, typically, in my experience, typically they don’t. A detective doesn’t just call a family member and like want to meet day of last minute like this. So it’s a little bit strange. And it’s also strange that the day that,

TJ (Donna’s brother): Um-hum!

Tucker Simmons: that the story is coming out on WWL.

TJ (Donna’s brother): That’s right. Me and wifey talked. She said you might want to call Tucker. want to call. Took her. I said, I’m already on it. I said, I just don’t. I said it’s kind of weird to me. I said he ain’t spoke with nobody else, he’s wanting to speak with me.

TJ (Donna’s brother): And I know he’s got the files. Because he’s reading some of the stuff off, like what Scott put down and stuff like that. Going through the files and asking me questions about him. So I know he’s got them.

Tucker Simmons: I mean, I, my hope is that. He’s legit and he’s really trying to figure out what’s going on. But the timing is a little concerning in my opinion. So

TJ (Donna’s brother): As soon as I get out of here, I’m gonna let you know what’s happening.

Tucker Simmons: The day TJ got this call was the same day WWL TV New Orleans was running their much anticipated story about Donna’s case and this podcast. Prior to receiving the call, weeks before, I consulted a retired New Orleans Police Department detective to review Donna’s case. At first I thought it might be him, but why would he be in Washington Parish reviewing case files without letting me know? So then I thought, maybe it’s the new state police detective on Donna’s case. I think he was also retired from New Orleans PD. But given the family’s well known lack of trust in WPSO why would he call the victim’s brother to that office? Also odd, that he would contact TJ first. I didn’t think much of it because more eyes on the case is a good thing. Or maybe not.

Irv Magri (President, CrimeFighters of Louisiana): I asked the gentleman and asked him. He brought his wife. And, I asked him to come in and, sit down. I was going to, you know, overview the case and hopefully assist. And I was well on my way to making some real headway. And I really needed Timmy just to be cooperative with me, that’s all. And I asked him to sit down three times. To be honest with you, I just tried to help the man. Now he wants to blow it up into a mountain out of a mole hill. I don’t need any. I don’t get paid for this. Understand the family, including Timothy, was quite upset, and, they’ve been blaming everybody under the sun.

Tucker Simmons: So just to confirm, the Sheriff’s department is, Is like giving you the green light to go ahead and look more into the case.

Irv Magri (President, CrimeFighters of Louisiana): No, not after. I just know, I just got cut off completely. No, he’s complaining to everybody who will listen right now. And so I got a phone call saying, you know, just thank you, but no, thank you. I said, okay. What he could do, or you could do is call the Sheriff and, let him know that, you talked to Irv Magri and that, everything’s A-OK. That would be very nice.

Tucker Simmons: Did Randy Seal reach out to you guys and ask you to take a look at it or. Or how did it come about?

Irv Magri (President, CrimeFighters of Louisiana): Okay, hold on for a second. Hold on, hold on.

Tucker Simmons: Okay.

Irv Magri (President, CrimeFighters of Louisiana): Incoming call.

Irv Magri (President, CrimeFighters of Louisiana): Just hold on. Yeah, Look, I’m sorry. I’ve got a little problem. I’m state president, CrimeFighters 16,000 victims. And I got a victim I gotta speak to right now. Okay. I’m gonna try to get back up to Washington Parish next week, and, maybe we can get Timothy to settle down.

Tucker Simmons: But just, just out of curiosity, Did Randy Seal reach out to you and ask you to look into the case? Hello? Irv? And he hung up.

Tucker Simmons: Irv Magri is president of CrimeFighters Fighters of Louisiana. They call themselves a victim rights organization, and as far as I can tell, they’ve played a productive role in supporting victim families and seeking justice for violent crimes in Louisiana. I’m not sure why TJ choosing to stand was such an issue. Irv made the point that TJ hadn’t been searched before coming in the meeting, which is why he insisted he sit down. But having known TJ for a while now, I can tell you he always stands. I repeatedly asked how Irv ended up on the case, because, admittedly, I was skeptical of the motivation. Given the timing, WWL’s story would be airing within hours. TJ and I spoke immediately after the meeting. Unfortunately, my recording equipment didn’t capture the call. He was heated. He felt used. He said Irv was wearing a badge and didn’t treat him like a grieving brother. Two things stood out during our conversation. One, the meeting took place in Sheriff Randy Seal’s personal office. And two, not long before this fiasco, TJ attended a campaign event where Sheriff Seal was present. TJ publicly shamed him for not doing more to solve his sister’s case when he had the opportunity. It makes me think maybe that’s the reason TJ was the first person contacted by Irv.

Tucker Simmons: Hey, Sherry, I’ve got. I’ve got TJ on the other line. I want to just update you guys on my phone call with that. I just had. All right, so Irv has his phone turned off, so he was just going straight to voicemail. But, Sherry, thank you for that business card, because Alton answered, sounded a little bit disheveled, and gave the phone to Irv. And it sounds like there is a massive shitstorm going down, because that meeting did not go well. He even asked if I would call the Sheriff. I don’t know. He’s freaking out. So the Sheriff must be really unhappy that it didn’t go well.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): Why does he care?

TJ (Donna’s brother): Because Randy had him in there. That’s the reason he cares.

Tucker Simmons: I said, can I just confirm that you’ve been commissioned by the sheriff’s department and you’re working with them? And he said, no, I’m not working with them anymore. As soon as that meeting happened, my phone’s been blowing up, and the Sheriff, they told me that it’s off. Thanks, but no thanks. And that I can go home.

TJ (Donna’s brother): But you heard what Tucker just said.

TJ (Donna’s brother): He’s not NOW, because the meeting didn’t go the way they planned it.

Tucker Simmons: He is not connected to the state police. So I guess the sheriff’s department was going to do their own story on it in some way or let him do a story and see the case. I’m not really sure.

TJ (Donna’s brother): In other words, it’s publicity.

Tucker Simmons: He was very concerned that it didn’t go well. He wanted me to tell you that he meant no ill will and that he just wished you had sat down, which.

TJ (Donna’s brother): But why? I was not hurting nothing standing up.

Tucker Simmons: I know he. He was really caught up on you not sitting down. But I think it just confirms what we all believe that, that it was. So they put this guy on it to accomplish something. And I’m not sure we’re ever going to know what that was, but…

TJ (Donna’s brother): To make it look like Randy was trying to do everything he can to solve it because he’s losing this election.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): If they really wanted it solved, don’t you think that they would try to call in some other. Other people? That’s right. Call in Scott. Talk to Scott. If he’s. This guy’s supposed to be who he says he is. Call Scott in. Call anybody. Don’t start with TJ.

Tucker Simmons: Exactly. And like I told TJ, like no disrespect to him, but is that really where the investigation starts, is calling TJ? I mean, there’s a lot more to do before you start calling family.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): I’m just in shock, honestly. But you know what, Tucker? You don’t have anything to apologize for.

TJ (Donna’s brother): You, ain’t done nothing wrong, man.

Tucker Simmons: No, I just. I just feel like.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): But I’m telling you, we called, all three of us. And Nicole, she ain’t on the phone, but she called it too. None of us had a good feeling about this. He, he has to be able to say that he’s done something. I even called in the crime stopper.

TJ (Donna’s brother): Yep. That’s all he’s worried about.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): That’s all he’s worried about.

Tucker Simmons: That backfired, didn’t it?

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): Yes, it did. I was under the understanding that he was from the freaking state police.

TJ (Donna’s brother): So was I the way he explained it to me this morning.

Tucker Simmons: Well, look, what I’m gonna do. I, think it’s. It is important for the state police to know that there’s someone else that has access to the case file.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): I mean, I agree with that, most definitely.

Tucker Simmons: Okay. All right, guys. Well, okay, everybody take some Tylenol or something and relax.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): Relax.

Tucker Simmons: All right.

TJ (Donna’s brother): We appreciate everything you done, Tucker man.

TJ (Donna’s brother): Yeah. If anything else comes up, I holler at you. Sherry, I love you. Go get that youngin and, All right, all right, all right.

Tucker Simmons: Appreciate it.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): I love you too, T.

Sherry (Donna’s Sister): All right, bye, Tucker. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you for everything, Tucker.

Tucker Simmons: Of course, of course. Thank y’all. Bye. Bye.

Tucker Simmons: A few hours after my call with TJ and Sherry, a source at the Washington Parish sheriff’s office shed more light on the situation. According to this source, WPSO’s chief investigator, Raymond Myers, didn’t feel comfortable giving Irv Magri access to the Arceneaux case file. Sheriff Randy Seal, via his chief deputy, made clear to Raymond he was being told, not asked, to provide Irv Magri the case file. Another source at the sheriff’s office reached out in horror, stating, quote, “This was a PR stunt gone terribly wrong at the expense of the family and the state police’s case.” The badge around Irv’s neck was legitimate. In April 2023, about 17 months prior to this incident with TJ, Sheriff Randy Seal fully commissioned Irv Magri as a deputy Sheriff in Washington Parish. Another interesting note. A few weeks prior to the attempted meeting with TJ, Irv Magri’s CrimeFighters of Louisiana formally endorsed Sheriff Randy Seal’s reelection campaign. Louisiana State police confirmed they had no role in the matter and they were not made aware of Irv Magri’s involvement. I have a feeling I don’t need to make a conclusion for you. All I can say is if the Sheriff was using Donna’s brother as a campaign tool, that’s about as low as it gets in my book.

Tucker Simmons: During this time, Washington Parish was a week from the runoff election between Randy Seal and Jason Smith. Sheriff Seal wouldn’t answer my calls after the failed meeting with TJ, so I met with Jason for his perspective.

Jason Smith (Sheriff Candidate): The stereotype is that like all these dateline shows, missing white girl is front page news. Missing black girl nobody knows about.

Tucker Simmons: Right.

Jason Smith (Sheriff Candidate): The importance of the Donna Arceneaux case is essentially that it shows you that even in the most high profile situations, if you’ve got this organization that is unable to do the things that are necessary to bring this family justice, Donna Arceneaux family is just the highest profile. It’s the one we know about. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s no reason for this case to have been cold. And like we were talking about earlier, if the sheriff’s job, is anything, it’s to put himself in those points of friction, you know, where things are rubbing together and they’re not moving forward. So if your case is cold, why is it going cold? Whose fault is it? Is it because you’ve got investigators that are untrained. Is it a problem with the DA’s office not following through? Is it a problem with the medical examiner filing a wrong report? Is the way you collect evidence? Is it the way that you interrogate people? Do we need to form a better relationship with the state police? Do we need to figure out what you know, that’s where the Sheriff should be inserting himself. He can’t have an in depth conversation to you about legalities. He can’t have an in depth discussion about prosecutorial mismanagement or none of that. It’s just not going to happen. And he’s completely detached. So he does what he knows. He walks around, shakes hands. So, when his people run into problems and they need that assistance, whether it’s top cover or a kick in the butt, he’s not there to provide it because it’s inconvenient for him. It’s not. He’s not comfortable with it. I mean, there’s nothing preventing him from having a public press conference, entertaining questions from the public, having a town hall. I mean, be bold enough to answer questions from the audience, be confident enough in your knowledge of the case to be able to explain why things are where they are. And if you’re not, then you need to fix that. I don’t think that everyone expects every case to be solved, but they do expect some sort of response from the people that are supposed to be solving it. Even the state police says there’s a different standard in Washington Parish and that’s not a good thing. There’s nowhere to go but up.

Tucker Simmons: So what do you say to. People who say, oh, Jason’s just running because Randy sued him. What is your response to that allegation?

Jason Smith (Sheriff Candidate): Well, I mean, the short answer is there is some truth to it only because that’s what’s opened my eyes to all of the other things that are going on. I mean, you can’t hear other people’s stories and think that everything’s fine. I mean, I didn’t choose to get sued. He sued us because we were following the law. And so that put me in a position to be the person that heard all of these stories. But if that’s all that it was, the smart move would have been for me to put my money behind somebody else that I thought could beat him. Listen, I got out of the Marine Corps to avoid politics. I didn’t want to get into politics. I have a very low opinion of politics and a very low opinion of politicians. I’m not trying to be a politician. I’m trying to be the Sheriff. I’m not running for governor. I’m not running for representative. This is not a stepping stone to anything. This is because I chose to move back here. I chose to raise my family here, and I want it to be a place where we’ve got an organization that’s actually devoted to public safety, not being run as an extension of a reelection campaign.

Tucker Simmons: I was in Washington Parish the week of the election and all the talk was about who’s going to be Sheriff. At least amongst the people I saw. Some felt Sheriff Seal had taken too much heat as a result of a tough campaign, Donna’s case, and they supported him wholeheartedly. Others would frantically approach, asking who I thought would win and who I thought would help advance our mission of seeking justice for Donna. Going into this four years ago, a campaign was so far removed from what I was trying to accomplish, I didn’t even think about it. But now that it was right here upon us and with what I had uncovered about Donna’s case, of course I had an opinion. But we are in Washington Parish and change isn’t always welcomed.

News Anchor: Randy Seal was hoping to keep the title he’s held since 2012, but his challenger, Jason Smith, believed his military background. Gave him the upper edge for Sheriff. A higher turnout in Washington Parish. However, 41% of voters hit the polls today.

Tucker Simmons: We’re nearing the end of Part one and still have a lot of unknowns. But based on past actions, motive and access to Donna, my theory shaping up. In episode eight, we’ll dive into new revelations about a suspect’s changing story. My attempt to talk to Scott again goes south before he even gets started, and someone I’ve wanted to talk to for years finally makes contact. Make sure you follow rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you’re listening. It’s a huge help in spreading the word about Donna’s case. Then head over to freezeframepodcast.com for behind the scenes details on the investigation and follow us on socials @freezeframepod Freeze Frame Pod for exclusive content. Freeze Frame is a But Why Media production. It’s written and produced by me, Tucker Simmons, editing and post production by Evan Desaulnier narration by Greg Gehringer and Carrie Loren and our original music is “Something Strange” by Tabitha Meeks.