Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis

Background

Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on 12/26/1976 to Thomas P. Chaisson and Patricia A. Deshotel.

At the time of her death she lived in Jennings.

Loretta lived in Jennings, had two sons, Keylan and Kedric. Although she and her husband, Murphy Lewis, were separated at the time of her death, he later said they remained good friends and spoke every day. She also maintained frequent contact with her children.

Loretta’s brothers, Chad and Nicholas Chaisson, remembered her as a loving mother, daughter, and sister who was fiercely loyal to the people she cared about.

Loretta was interred at Doucet Cemetery in Jefferson Davis Parish.

Case Summary

Loretta was last seen in Jennings on 05/17/2005.

On 05/20/2005, a fisherman discovered her body in the east fork of the Grand Marais drainage canal near a bridge on LA Hwy 1126. The location is approximately three miles west of LA Hwy 26 and south of Jennings.

Her body was floating in shallow water, partially clothed, with no shoes. Investigators believed she had been in the water for approximately three to four days.

An autopsy performed 05/21/2005 by Calcasieu Coroner’s Office, found no physical injuries that could establish how Loretta died. Decomposition complicated the examination and collection of evidence. Toxicology testing detected high levels of drugs or medications and alcohol in her system. Despite the lack of an established cause of death, authorities continue to treat her case as a homicide.

On 06/01/2005, Sheriff Ricky Edwards said investigators were attempting to locate people believed to have been among the last to see Loretta. He described them as “material witnesses” but declined to publicly identify them.

Her family later said she’d confided in them that a Jennings Police Department detective had asked her to help law enforcement by keeping an eye on a suspected drug dealer.

Loretta’s death was the first in a series of cases that would later become known as the Jeff Davis 8 (or Jennings 8).

Kyle Miers, a former member of the task force, ran for Jeff Davis Parish sheriff in 2023, citing the unsolved cases as one of his reasons for running. He said he has a suspect in every case except the last two, and that the Sheriff’s Office had done nothing with the information in years. He was sworn in as sheriff 02/02/2024.

Suspects/Persons of Interest

No suspect or person of interest has been publicly identified in Loretta’s case.

Timeline

Limited Information – Can You Help?

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Research Notes

This profile will be updated as pending public records requests are received.

Sources

• American Press, “‘Material Witnesses’ Sought in Death of Jennings Woman,” 06/01/2005
• Daily World, “Woman’s Body Found in Water Could Take a Week to Identify,” 06/20/2005
• American Press, “Pursuit of Truth: Jeff Davis, State, Fed Agencies Seek Leads in Deaths of Women,” 06/29/2008
• Lafayette Daily Advertiser, “Mystery,” 11/16/2008
• American Press, “Families, Friends: We Want Justice,” 10/27/2009
• Jeff Davis Parish Multi-Agency Investigative Team archived website, Press Conference Transcript, 10/28/2009
• American Press, “Reward for Info in Deaths Increases,” 10/29/2009
• Lafayette Daily Advertiser, “Sending Hope to Heaven-Families of Serial Killer Victims Release Balloons to Loved Ones,” 04/07/2011
• American Press, “Report on Murder Victim Airs Monday,” 07/04/2014
• FOX29 News Express, “Murder in a Small Town: Losing Loretta,” 07/07/2014
• KPLC TV 7, “Fourteenth Anniversary of First ‘Jeff Davis 8’ Body Discovered,” 05/20/2019
• American Press, “Juvenile crime, drugs cited as top issues in Jeff Davis sheriff’s race,” 08/23/2023
• KALB Channel 5, “Kyle Miers Sworn in as Jeff Davis Sheriff,” 07/02/2024
• Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, “Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis,” Hot Cases
• Jeff Davis Parish Multi-Agency Investigative Team, “More Information on Violent Offenders,” archived website
• United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936–2007
• United States, Social Security Death Index, Loretta L. Chaisson

rev 09/24/26