Jordan LaHaye Fontenot's Great Grandfather, Aubrey LaHaye, was kidnapped and murdered in January of 1983. He was a prominent banker and entrepeneur in the small south, central Louisiana town of Mamou. Her great grandmother, Emily, was with Aubrey that fateful morning and saw the abducter before being tied to their bed. Her later testimony would become crucial during the trial. The FBI was even called in to help investigate and ultimately law enforcement settled on one person, John Brady Balfa. John Brady was related to the cajun music group know as the Balfa Brothers. His father evened played with them for a period.
Even to this day some believe he his innocent as the event pitted family against family, friend against friend and even some from the same families as well. There were several suspects, including the mafia. Reading the book you too may find yourself questioning whether John Brady was really guilty or did law enforcement simply want to get quick closure. And Miss Emily's testimony, her description of the supsect contracted what she described in the days after kidnapping. It was ten days before they found Aubrey's body. For the most part the family did not want to talk about it. Jordan was at LSU and wanting to write a story about her family. Her dad told her the story which she vaguely remembered hearing as a child but now he told her to follow the story wherever it took her. And follow it she did.
John Brady reamains in Angola prison to this day claiming his innocence.
Jordan has a gift in writing and this book is not only a story of murder it also is a history lesson about her heratige, Cajun to the core. Beautifully written. I can only hope she continues to write.
Enjoy,
KF
