Mickey Shunick still hasn't been found, but the only suspect in her disappearance and presumed murder has entered a plea. Brandon Scott Lavergne entered a plea of 'not guilty' during his Friday arraignment—which may create the overall theme of this entire case. He's accused of abducting and killing the missing anthropology student as well as the murder of Lisa Pate in 1999. His uncooperative behavior isn't anything new, and judging by Friday's court appearance, he doesn't plan on cooperating anytime soon. A 'not guilty' plea is only going to prolong the trial while the searches for her remains continue—although they are scaled back considerably.
Brandon Scott Lavergne displays the behavior of a serial killer and has been captured and released into society to continue the crimes he's been known for committing. While it's no surprise that he took a 'not guilty' plea in court, this can be an unpredictable event. He may either continue on as though he did nothing, or he will leverage his freedom for the location of Michaela Shunick's remains.
Hopefully police have enough against this man, evidence wise, so that he doesn't end up on the streets to victimize more women. However, the idea of more women being victimized in Lafayette seems thin since gun sales in the area have risen sharply. This source indicates that the number of women buying handguns and shotguns has risen in Lafayette, and it's believed the abduction of Mickey Shunick played a role in this. It's good for women to be aware, but sometimes weaponry doesn't keep you safe. Mickey herself may have had a knife or other sharp object, which failed to protect her, and the element of surprise makes unholstering and firing a gun more difficult.
Crime analyst and profiler Chelsea Hoffman can be found on The Huffington Post, Chelsea Hoffman: Case to Case and many other outlets. Follow @TheRealChelseaH on Twitter or click here to contact Chelsea directly.
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