Timeline of the Mickey Shunick Missing Person Case
Below is a time-line of Mickey Shunick missing person case, as well as the subsequent volunteer search effort. We are posting this in order to clear-up any confusion about the course of events up to this point. Please check the local media outlets for the latest information, but please remember that information about this case is not official until verified by law enforcement or the Shunick family. Here are some links to the ongoing local coverage of the Mickey Shunick case.
KATC TV-3
http://www.katc.com/
The Daily Advertiser Newspaper
http://www.theadvertiser.com/
KLFY TV-10
http://www.klfy.com/
Please help us to make sure the information that is talked about regarding this case stays accurate and constructive. We thank everyone who has supported us over the last two months in our effort to bring Mickey home.
Friday, May 18, 2012, 10:15 p.m. : Mickey and friends attended a concert at Artmosphere.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 12:44 a.m. : Mickey rides bike back to Ryan Street residence with a friend.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 1:24 a.m.: Mickey is captured on surveillance video at Taco Bell.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 1:31 a.m.: Mickey receives a call from her friend; it was the last time her phone was used.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 1:45 a.m.: Mickey begins to ride her bike home from the Ryan Street residence.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 1:47 a.m. : Mickey is caught on surveillance camera, riding her bike on Versailles Boulevard.
May 19, 2012, 1:48 a.m.: Mickey is caught on camera, riding her bike, on St. Landry Street. Police later say between St. Landry and Blackham Coliseum, Lavergne allegedly kidnapped Mickey. Her bike’s damage is consistent with being hit from behind by a vehicle.
May 19, 2012, approximately 3:00 pm: According to a police report from Jefferson Parish, Lavergne says he was attacked at a gas station in the New Orleans area, repeatedly stabbed by an unknown man.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 5:00 p.m.: Mickey’s family reports her missing to police.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 6:30 p.m.: Mickey’s disappearance is officially reported with the Lafayette Police Department. Mickey’s close friends also gathered and retraced her bike route on foot. Local television stations were alerted to her disappearance.
May 19, 2012, 11:00 p.m.: Lavergne is interviewed by Jefferson Parish deputies in connection with an aggravated battery/robbery against him earlier that afternoon. The interview happens at a hospital in New Orleans as Lavergne is being treated, according to a police report. Lavergne can’t recall where it happened.
Sunday, May 20, 2012: Volunteer search party and social media operations are first headquartered at 100 Ryan St. in Lafayette, the house at which she was last seen. Maps of Lafayette and surrounding areas are printed, laminated, and color coded with areas searched, areas that have flyers, and other areas that needed to be investigated.
Monday, May 21, 2012: A tip line is set up by the Lafayette Police and staffed with volunteers. Private investigator John Abdella begins working on the case. A candlelight vigil is held in Parc Sans Souci in Lafayette. Major nationwide media coverage of the case begins.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012: Two organized foot searches are conducted with volunteers, led by military personnel.
Wednesday & Thursday, May 23-24, 2012 : Texas EquuSearch arrives in Lafayette to aid with the search. Volunteer operations move to Our Lady of Wisdom Church on the University of Louisiana-Lafayette campus. “Robo-calls” begin in the Acadiana area providing locals with information on the Mickey’s appearance and last whereabouts, as well as encouraging those with information to call the police tip line.
Friday, May 25, 2012 : The first video surveillance photos of Mickey riding her bike, as well as a suspicious vehicle, are released to the public
Saturday, May 26, 2012: Mickey’s bike was located under the Whiskey Bay Bridge by fisherman, though not reported to the public until the 28th of May. Volunteer operations and EquuSearch headquarters move to Blackham Colosseum. Volunteer searches led by EquuSearch members are based here, along with donations and sales of shirts and bracelets.
Sunday, May 27, 2012: Surveillance footage of two more vehicles of interest are released to the public, but they are both cleared of suspicion two days later, with one white z-71 remaining. Information of the damaged bicycle are released to the media and the police.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012: Searches temporarily suspended, but resumed several days later. Benefit held at Walk-On’s Bistreaux on Kaliste Saloom Rd. in Lafayette.
Thursday, May 31, 2012: Lafayette Police say a white truck was found burned in San Jacinto County, TX.
Friday & Saturday, June 1-2, 2012: Texas EquuSearch suspends operations on the Mickey Shunick case. Organized volunteer searches continue for another week, after which only a core group of civilian volunteers conduct periodic foot searches.
Sunday & Monday, June 10-11, 2012: All volunteer operations are moved to 2811 Johnston St. in Lafayette. The property is donated by the owners of the South College Center.
Thursday, June 14, 2012: Lafayette Police get the tip the white truck of interest was found burned in Texas. Lafayette Police say it was Lavergne’s truck.
Thursday, July 5, 2012: State Police stop Lavergne on a traffic stop in a new white truck and arrest him on a warrant related to registering as a sex offender. He’s also booked on first degree murder and kidnapping charges by the Lafayette Police Department. Police say he is not cooperating.
Friday, July 6, 2012: The Lafayette Police Department holds a press conference in which they inform the public of the arrest of Brandon Lavergne and the charges against him.
Saturday, July 14, 2012: Texas EquuSearch announces that is has returned to Lafayette to resume searches, and that they do not require any civilian volunteers for the time being.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012: Lavergne is scheduled to appear before a grand jury in Lafayette Parish. (UPDATE 7/18/2012: Lavergne is indicted on two counts of first-degree murder.)
Friday, July 27, 2012: At his arraignment, Lavergne pleads not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in the cases of Mickey Shunick and Lisa Pate. Judge Herman Clause set a deadline of October 9 for attorneys in the case to file motions. All hearing dates will be set after that deadline.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012: On the morning of August 7, 2012, investigators involved in the Mickey Shunick case received credible information as to the location of Mickey Shunick’s body. Investigators were directed to a section of property off of Louisiana Highway 10, near its intersection with Louisiana Highway 13, in Evangeline Parish. Upon going to the site, they discovered an area where a buried body was located. Working with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafayette Metro crime scene technicians began processing the scene with forensic experts from LSU.
At approximately 8:30 pm, the body was removed from the scene by the Lafayette Parish Coroner’s Office and transported back to Lafayette Parish. Although investigators strongly believe that the body is that of Mickey Shunick, it may take 3 days for the identification process to be completed. The investigation remains ongoing.
Thursday, August 9, 2012: Investigators have identified the body discovered in Evangeline Parish as that of Michaela “Mickey” Shunick. There will be no further comment on the Shunick investigation at this time.
Friday, August 17, 2012: Brandon Scott Lavergne pleads guilty to murdering Lisa Pate and Mickey Shunick in exchange for life in prison.
(Thanks to KATC for the original time-line that we expanded.)