Dead Family Walking
The Bourque Family Story of
Dead Man Walking
A " TRUE ACCOUNT "
Of What Dead Man Walking Did Not Tell
And Did Not Want You To Know
On November 5, 1977, the Bourque's teenage daughter, Loretta, was found murdered in a
trash pile near the city of New Iberia, Louisiana lying side by side near her boyfriend–with three well-placed bullet holes behind each head. No apparent motive. Very little clues.
WHAT THE PUBLIC KNEW
While the families of the murdered teenagers tried to find closure, a Catholic nun becomes spiritual advisor to one brother on death row and made it her mission to defend him, arguing that the crime was a single act of violence for which the other brother was solely responsible. Her attempts failed, killer is executed in 1984 when she and killer vow love for each other before he dies. Nun takes body to Baton Rouge for free funeral and mass performed by Bishop. Fifteen nuns brought in from New Orleans to attend funeral for stranger. Body laid to rest in Baton Rouge cemetery on sacred ground. Nun later writes book: Dead Man Walking.
WHAT THE PUBLIC DID NOT KNOW
Prior to the murders, posing as police, the brothers would hunt people on weekends kidnapping an
estimated 30 couples. Boys would be handcuffed in view of girls being held down, raped, threatened
and released. Secret conversation with Catholic priest revealed killer's funeral staged by Church
hierarchy to protest capital punishment and said Bishop was subdued. Funeral home pressured for
free funeral. Grounds keeper of cemetery said nun went behind Mother Superior's back to have killer
buried. Thirty days after burial, upset nuns secretly tried to have killer's corpse disinterred.
After 6 years of trials and appeals, the devout-Catholic Bourques hoped with the killer's execution
they could put the nightmare behind them and find some peace with which to live. Instead, the surprising scorn from Church leaders in Baton Rouge was just the beginning of family pain causing them to stop attending church—but they eventually returned with unexpected disrespect for Church personnel.
Nun's book contains questionable embellishments and according to one victim's parent who was sent a manuscript of Dead Man Walking, "There were lies in there!" Incarcerated Governor Edwards writes
jailhouse letter contradicting nun's version of killer's last day and her secret whereabouts the night of killer's execution. Thirty days before execution, killer divulges details to homicide detective of shocking death-row proposal including confessing his hunger to kill again.
Victim's family endures 25 unsuccessful years of seeking closure, finally contracting investigator to dig-up details of crime and fallacies of Dead Man Walking. Disgusting discovery found in killer's briefcase stored in courthouse evidence room for 20 years. Divine message from God to young child pertaining to murdered girl deciphered 15 years later in 2004. Surprise conversation with homicide detective reveals details of an unknown American hero that will warm the hearts of all who read this story.
Copyright © 2005 Goldlamp Publishing Company New Iberia , Louisiana
