Brandon Scott Lavergne, who pleaded guilty to killing Mickey Shunick in 2012, tried to escape from Angola on Monday.
Lavergne is serving two life sentences for Shunick’s murder and the 1999 murder of Lisa Pate, another Lafayette woman.
22-year-old Shunick was a senior at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette when she vanished in May 2012. She was riding her bike from her friend’s home when Laverne followed her in his truck, struck her bike and kidnapped her.
Since he pleaded guilty, Lavergne, acting as his own attorney, has filed numerous appeals attempting to void his guilty pleas and get out of jail. He even tried a hunger strike, but he only lasted four days before he started eating again.
State corrections spokesman Ken Pastorick said Lavergne tried to make a run for it at about 4:30 a.m. on Monday. He didn’t make it far, Pastorick said.
DOC personnel “quickly thwarted the escape attempt without incident,” Pastorick said.
“They did exactly what they were supposed to do,” he said. “Their training paid off. At no time was the public’s safety or security ever in jeopardy or compromised.”
Lavergne is now in lockdown, separated from the general population, he said. He’s lost most of his privileges, he added.
Pastorick said it will be up to West Feliciana officials to prosecute Lavergne for the attempt, but DOC officials generally encourage that so that any future facilities will know he needs extra security.
Angola is a huge facility bordered by the Mississippi River and the Tunica hills, but Lavergne didn’t even get past the fence around the particular camp he’s being held in, Pastorick said.
He said it’s rare that anyone escapes from Angola – partly because of the terrain, but also because of the staff there.
“They did a great job,” he said. “The alarm system did exactly what it was supposed to do.”
Brandon Scott Lavergne, who pleaded guilty to killing Mickey Shunick in 2012, tried to escape from Angola.
Ken Pastorick with the Louisiana Department of Corrections confirms Laverne tried to escape early Monday morning but did not make it past the perimeter.
He’s now back in custody and has since been in isolation from the rest of the prisoners.
Lavergne is serving two life sentences for Shunick’s murder and the 1999 murder of Lisa Pate, another Lafayette woman.
22-year-old Shunick was a senior at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette when she vanished on May 19. She was riding her bike from her friend’s home when Laverne followed her in his truck, struck her bike and kidnapped her.
Since that time, Lavergne, acting as his own attorney, has filed numerous appeals attempting to void his guilty pleas and get out of jail. He even tried a hunger strike, but he only lasted four days before he started eating again.
