Post by Scumhunter on Mar 21, 2022 6:27:06 GMT -5
(Above: Top: Brandon Francisco (person of interest in disappearance of Ella Goodie UPDATE: Arrested). Bottom: Ella Goodie (missing person, still missing as of 3/26/2022); Photo Credits: theadvocate.com, katc.com)
From theadvocate.com:
Brandon Jermaine Francisco was scheduled to appear in an Alexandria courtroom in connection to a violent 2018 crime on the same day he was seen with a missing Lafayette Lyft driver.
The Scott Police Department on Wednesday named Francisco, 36, of Mansura, a person of interest in the March 9 disappearance of 32-year-old Ella Quiana Goodie.
There is an active warrant for Francisco's arrest after he failed to appear in a Rapides Parish courtroom on March 9, the same day police say he was last seen with Goodie.
The hearing concerned Francisco's alleged role in a Christmas Eve shooting in 2018 that critically wounded a man in the Rapides Parish town of Cheneyville. Francisco and another Mansura man, Travelle Markez Louis, are accused of shooting a man on the side of U.S. 71 and stealing his vehicle.
The victim was later found, wounded, in a nearby ditch, the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office said at the time.
Francisco faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in connection to the case. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Francisco was missing in the courtroom at least once prior to his missed March 9 hearing, according to court records.
Francisco also failed to show up for a Feb. 7 jury trial before 9th Judicial District Court Judge Greg Beard for the same case. Tiffany Sanders, his attorney, said Francisco was exposed to COVID-19 but had tested negative and could not return to work until Feb. 8.
Prosecutor John Giordano questioned the excuse last month in a motion to revoke Francisco's bond, noting the defendant could not be located as of Feb. 14 and should be required to stay in Rapides Parish until his trial.
"The state believes that the defendant, even if the COVID-19 exposure is believed, could have appeared for trial on 8 February 2022, or any day thereafter, and that his absence was a deliberately executed scheme to avoid and/or delay trial," Giordano wrote in the Feb. 14 motion.
The judge denied Giordano's request in a Feb. 16 hearing, which Francisco attended with his attorney.
The March 9 hearing was to address Francisco's bond. The arrest warrant issued in his absence on that date orders that Francisco be jailed without bond once located.
Goodie was last seen driving west on Interstate 10 toward Texas in her car, a 2012 Audi Q5 with Texas license plate NRN6551.
Goodie's family said she was driving a customer for the ridesharing service, Lyft, to Houston at the time of her disappearance. A Lyft spokesperson told The Acadiana Advocate that the ride described did not occur on the app platform, but that the company has been in contact with law enforcement to offer assistance.
Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to contact the Scott Police Department at 337-233-3715 or any local law enforcement agency.
www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/crime_police/article_a06a6848-a614-11ec-ab64-0b5fe7db5017.html
Thoughts? It would appear Francisco is still at large as of today's posting date (March 21st, 2022) since there are still social media posts about Ella with no mention of her being found and/or Francisco being caught. Also, although Francisco is only a person of interest in Goodie's disappearance, he is also wanted for failure to appear on attempted murder charges, so he is also a technical fugitive as well.
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