REOPENED: Killer in the Storm

Summary

---

Cold Case Files – REOPENED: Killer in the Storm

Original air date: June 11, 2026
Host/Narrator: Marisa Pinson | Featured Voices: Brenda's sister Linda, Lt. Duane Grimet, Detective Jude Victorian, Chief Perry Gallo, Forensic Expert George Shiro, family and community members.

---

Episode Overview

This episode tells the harrowing story of the 1988 murder of Brenda Dupont in Opelousas, Louisiana—a brutal crime that left her family and community shattered, remained unsolved for decades, and tested the limits of early forensic science. Through dogged detective work, tenacity from Brenda’s family, and eventual advances in DNA technology, the case joined the rare 1% of cold cases that are finally solved.

---

Key Topics & Discussion Points

The Night of the Crime

• Brenda’s last day: Brenda helps her sister Linda prepare for a graduation celebration (02:00–02:45).
• Severe storm: Brenda returns to her apartment behind Linda's house as lightning and heavy rain hit (02:45–03:15).
• Discovery of the body: Linda notices Brenda is missing the next morning. Police find Brenda’s body inside her locked apartment, having suffered a horrific, violent assault (03:26–04:46).

“She had been stabbed in the head ten or more times. It was a horrible death...I told Brenda, before I die, I’m gonna solve this murder.”
— Brenda’s Sister Linda [01:28]

Initial Investigation & Challenges

• Evidence at the scene: Multiple stab wounds, bite marks, and signs of sexual assault. No weapon found, but access via an open window is noted (05:51–06:53).
• Suspect focus: Investigators initially suspect those closest to Brenda: her sister Linda, Linda’s boyfriend Diker Chavis, and local acquaintances (09:47–10:37).
• Polygraph tests: Linda cooperates with police, passing a lie detector test, but remains a focus due to proximity (15:34–15:53).
• Community fear: The small town reels, anxious the killer may strike again (11:31–11:45).

“You don’t enter a person’s house and then leave out the window. You come out the same door they let you in. The theory…was that whoever killed her, she let him in. She knew him, because the door was locked.”
— Detective Jude Victorian [06:58]

The Evidence & Technological Limitations

• DNA collection: Forensic expert George Shiro collects sexual assault evidence, finding seminal fluid. However, DNA databases and matching weren’t broadly available in 1988 (14:16–14:53).
• Familial suspects eliminated: Brenda’s romantic partners and estranged husband are investigated but cleared via alibi (17:00–19:54).
• Case stalls: Despite canvassing and interviews, the investigation leads nowhere. The case goes cold (20:09–28:35).

“This is a case that the evidence had to wait for. The technology to catch up with.”
— Forensic Expert George Shiro [20:09]

Years Pass & a Family’s Unyielding Drive

• Linda’s promise: Throughout, Brenda’s sister Linda pushes authorities to keep the case active, vowing never to let it become just another file (27:47–28:30).
• Effect on Brenda’s daughter: Trauma rocks Brenda’s family—her daughter Monica struggles through adolescence without her mother (29:10–29:46).

"No, in my book, it'll never be a cold case file. Never will be. That's my baby sister...I promised her I was gonna solve it."
— Brenda’s Sister Linda [27:47]

The Cold Case Unit & New Evidence

• Leadership change: When Perry Gallo is named police chief, he keeps his promise to Linda to start a cold case unit (30:49–31:27).
• Re-examining the evidence: Lt. Grimet takes up the case, chasing rumors, interviewing old witnesses, and returning to the DNA evidence (31:44–33:17).

Breakthrough with Forensic Science

• Old DNA, new answers: In 2012, advances finally allow the original 1988 sexual assault kit to be processed; a partial DNA profile is uploaded to CODIS (33:32).
• The match: The DNA pinpoints Janelle (John L.) Rubin, who had been questioned decades earlier but not conclusively linked to the crime (34:07–34:44).
• Suspicions deepen: Old interview tapes and evidence reveal Rubin with unexplained scratches, inconsistent alibis, and past violence (34:35–35:51).

Arrest, Trial, and Justice

• DNA confirmation: Police run a second test for certainty, obtaining a second match. Rubin is arrested for first degree murder and aggravated rape in 2012 (37:09–37:48).
• Conviction: The jury convicts Rubin in 2016. He is sentenced to life in prison (39:15–40:05).

“When that verdict come in that he was guilty...you saw where it really got to him…and he was taken away.”
— Lt. Duane Grimet [39:35]

Aftermath and Reflection

• Bittersweet resolution: Brenda’s daughter Monica, who struggled for years in the wake of her mother’s death, passes away shortly after the conviction, deepening the family’s grief (40:25–40:40).
• Family healing: Brenda's sister Linda describes her visit to Brenda’s grave and feeling closure in keeping her promise (41:12).

“I told Brenda I was gonna solve this. And it was like I had did my work and there it is. And it's like I could feel her around me.”
— Brenda’s Sister Linda [41:12]

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Linda’s unbreakable promise: “Before I die, I’m gonna solve this murder. And I plan to do just that.” [01:28, 18:13, 27:47, 41:12]
• On small-town suspicion: “Why would I kill my little sister? ...Nobody in my house did this. So if y'all want to find a true murderer, go out and find the true murderer.” — Linda [10:05]
• On forensic limits: “Back in 1988, forensic DNA analysis was in its infancy, it just wasn’t as precise and accurate and as widely available as we needed.” — George Shiro [14:53]
• On peace and closure: “I like to tell her everything’s gonna be okay now. You will always be my little gatto choux. I love you dearly.” — Family member [40:40]

---

Timeline of Important Segments

• 02:00 – Brenda’s last day, storm, return to apartment
• 03:26 – Discovery of Brenda’s body
• 05:44 – Crime scene observations by police
• 09:47–10:37 – Focus falls on family; Linda’s polygraph
• 14:16 – Forensic work, semen identified
• 20:09 – Lack of leads; forensic technology not ready
• 28:30 – Case goes cold; years pass
• 30:49 – Chief Gallo vows to re-examine cold cases
• 33:32 – DNA finally tested, produces CODIS hit
• 34:07–34:44 – Focus on Janelle (John L.) Rubin; problems with his alibi
• 37:09 – Rubin arrested thanks to DNA match
• 39:15 – Jury convicts Rubin
• 40:25 – Monica, Brenda’s daughter, passes away
• 41:12 – Linda finds closure at Brenda’s grave

---

Core Takeaways

• The episode highlights how a family’s dedication, combined with advances in forensic technology and the persistence of law enforcement, can eventually secure justice—even decades after a crime.
• The impact of unsolved murder on surviving family members is profound and enduring.
• Modern DNA forensics can be the turning point for cases long thought unsolvable.

---

For further resources, visit A&E’s Cold Case Files.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

Spring just slid into your DMs. Grab that boho. Look for that rooftop dinner, those sandals that can keep up with you, and hang some string lights to give your patio a glow up. Spring's calling. Ross. Work your magic.

[Commercial Voice]

Insurance isn't one size fits all. That's why customers have enjoyed Progressive's name your price tool for years now. With the name your price tool, you tell them what you want to pay and they'll show you options that fit your budget. So whether you're picking out your first policy or just looking for something that works better for you and your family, they make it easy to see your options. Visit progressive.com find a rate that works for you with the name your price tool Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

law

[Commercial Voice]

Ever notice how life's best stories don't happen in your living room? They happen on the open road, out on the water or parked under the stars. At Progressive, they get that you want to focus on the experience, not worry about the what ifs. That's why they offer quality insurance designed for your ride, whether That's a boat, RV or motorcycle adventure with confidence. Visit progressive.com and see how easy it is to protect your favorite way to get away. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in D.C. prices vary based on how you buy.

[Narrator/Host]

This episode contains descriptions of violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

I used to drink coffee with Brenda every morning. Brenda had something good every day. Cooked. Yes, indeed. They had so many questions. They were asking, who do you think did it? They asked me, did you have anything to do with it? Why would I kill my little sister? She had been stabbed in the head ten or more times. It was a horrible death. I went to her casket. I told Brenda, before I die, I'm gonna solve this murder. And I plan to do just that.

[Narrator/Host]

There are 120,000 unsolved murders in America. Each one is a cold case. Only 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories. It's May 20, 1988 in Opelousas, Louisiana, and 29 year old Brenda Dupont is at her sister Linda's house to help her prepare for a celebration.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

I was graduating, getting my ged and Brenda came and started helping me make finger foods, cookies, sandwiches and stuff for the little party after my graduation. And Brenda stayed at my house until, I'm sure, about 8:30 or 9:00 clock that night. And then it started raining real hard. Lightning. I mean lightning was so bright you would think it was sunshine outside. It was Raining really hard. Brenda went back to her apartment. She said she was going to go in for the night.

[Narrator/Host]

Brenda rents an apartment behind Linda's home, and they spend most of their free time together. But something seems a little bit off the next morning. On May 21st.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

I used to drink coffee with Brenda every morning. And the next morning, I sent Lee Herbert, my son, to go get Brenda to come eat breakfast. But Brenda didn't answer the door. And then finally, after about third or fourth time, I went to my landlord's house and asked her if I could use her phone to call the police because I knew something was wrong. Brenda would have let us in by now.

[Narrator/Host]

The police arrive to find a locked front door. An officer knocks, but Brenda doesn't answer. The officer notices that a window at the back of the apartment is open. When the policewoman looks inside, she can see Brenda, and she knows she needs to get into the apartment by any means necessary.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

When policewoman kicked the door in, I saw the mattress was kind of slanted against the bed frame. And I saw Brenda's body in a fetal position. Her eyes were open, but I knew she wasn't alive. When I saw Brenda's body on the floor and I saw all the blood, I started screaming. And it was hard because I had to call my family and tell them that. That Brenda was gone. It was really hard.

[Narrator/Host]

More officers are dispatched to the scene. Lt. Duane Grimet has worked in the area for over a decade, and he has seen a rise in violent crime during that time.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

Las Palousas used to be a very good place to live in. When I first started here, it was 1977. I enjoyed the people that I met in the street as, as an officer in the city and the people that I worked with. You didn't have many homicides. Things started to change in the. In the town. As the years went on, it got worse. I was working as a patrolman on that particular day. I knew Brenda lived at that residence. I knew Linda, her sister. I knew all of the people that lived in the house. This wasn't a big city at the time. I remember I passed by the crime scene. There was a lot of people out there.

[Narrator/Host]

Detective Jude Victorian is already at Brenda's apartment where the officers are videotaping the gruesome crime scene.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

Going into the crime scene and observing Brenda's body lying there, it was an overkill, you know, There was blood everywhere. It was an efficiency home that Brenda lived in. It was a one, one bedroom kitchen. The thing that stood out to me was the multiple Stab wounds and the bite marks. That in particular stood out to me. She had no clothes on. That struck out to me that we would have to request, you know, sexual assault kit be administered during the autopsy. I was perplexed and angry at the same time. Angry because who in the world would do this to Brenda? When we were going through the crime scene, we were looking for any possible weapons, anything that the suspect could have left behind at that crime scene. We found no weapons in Brenda's house that could have caused this or that was even linked to this.

[Narrator/Host]

Detective Victorian zeroes in on the open window and the locked door.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

You don't enter a person's house and then leave out the window. You know, you come out the same door that they let you in. The theory at the beginning of Brenda's murder was that whoever killed her, she let him in. She knew him because the door was locked.

[Narrator/Host]

The investigators speak to those closest to Brenda, including her sister Geraldine and her cousin Bobby.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

Brenda was the youngest girl and 12 children. We were six girls and six boys, and Brenda was the baby girl. Brenda was my godchild. My mother chose me to be her godmother. My dad was a sharecropper. We had to miss the first six weeks of school to help my daddy harvest crops.

[Family Friend or Community Member]

They were raised in a little country town on a bayou. Very poor people, like many, many families are from this area. Her dad fed his family catfish from Bayou, Tex. And they lived a very, very loving life in that family.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

I would have done anything for my little sister Brenda. We all had a share in spoiling Brenda, we call it in French, and got to show she was my little hotcake. I spoiled her a lot. But mom and dad made sure we went to church. We had catechism once a week, like on Saturday mornings.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

Brenda didn't want to be dressy, dressy all the time. She wanted to be in her jeans, sometimes her little tank tops. But mom and dad always told Brenda, you can't wear just anything at church.

[Narrator/Host]

When. When Brenda was 18 years old, she gave birth to a daughter of her own, Monica.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

I do believe she was a little bit nervous when she found out she was pregnant because she was young. But Brenda was a very good mother.

[Family Friend or Community Member]

She started dating when her mother and father let her go. And she married a young man she was in love with. And that didn't last very long.

[Narrator/Host]

The breakup is hard on Brenda, and she struggles to support herself and her daughter.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

So she had no income. Brenda was really depressed then. That's when the CPS got involved. And then that's how she lost custody of Monica.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

Brenda was depressed after they took Monica

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

away from her and they told her, you know, the only way you get Monica back is for you to do what the doctors tell you to do. Brenda, she started taking her medications and she was abiding by it. Brenda moved next to her, to me, and she was getting on her feet. Brenda would do what she had to do to get her daughter. Brenda was doing very well.

[Narrator/Host]

It seems as though Brenda's life has been snatched away just as she was getting it back on track. The investigators narrow their focus to the people living nearest to Brenda, her sister Linda and Linda's boyfriend, Diker Chavis.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

Daiko was my boyfriend at the time.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

Yeah.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

He lived in the home with me. He was a working man and he tried to do everything he could for me and my children and would help Brenda, too. Brenda and Monica, if they need it. They started questioning me. They had so many questions. They were asking, who do you think did it? Did you have anything to do with it? Why would I kill my little sister? I was angry with the police because. Because they were looking directly at us. Nobody in my house did this. So if y' all want to find a true murderer, go out and find the true murderer.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

The chief of police at the time summoned all the entire investigative division into going in, into canvassing the area. Sometimes people don't want to come forward right away. People see things that they don't think are important to investigate. A canvas is done to hopefully seek out someone who has information relative to the crime. But the initial canvas on that day revealed no new information relative to Brenda's death. It was extremely rare for this kind of murder. Something like we had never seen before. We were at a loss. We just. This was brutal.

[Narrator/Host]

Adding to the police pressure, people in the small community are scared that the killer is not finished.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

I was very paranoid after my sister was murdered. I wonder if that's the one that killed my sister. I wonder if he's going to come after me.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

The first thing I was afraid of is that whoever killed Brenda would come back, and I was afraid of that.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

A lot of people were concerned because that person who did commit that crime is still out there and he's probably gonna kill again.

[Narrator/Host]

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sometimes summer can feel like two totally different seasons. On one hand, it's sunshine, travel, longer days. On the other, it can be a lot. Schedules, shift, routines disappear, and suddenly you're juggling everything all at once. I've definitely had summers where I'm thriving and others where I'm just trying to keep up. Something I've learned is that taking care of yourself shouldn't be an afterthought. Even in the middle of all the chaos, carving out a little time for yourself makes a huge difference. Maybe that's a quiet walk, saying no to one more obligation or talking things through with someone who really gets it. BetterHelp makes that last part easier. With over 30,000 licensed therapists and more than 6 million people served worldwide, it's the largest online therapy platform and people love it. With an average 4.9 out of 5 rating from over 1.7 million reviews. You fill in a short questionnaire and they use their 12 plus years of experience to match you with a therapist based on your needs. And if it's not the right fit, you can switch anytime. You don't have to say yes to everything this summer. Find support and therapy. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] cold case that's betterhelp.com cold case at first

[Commercial Voice]

I didn't think it was real. I woke up to this blinding light and I was transported to another place. Pluto tv. Then I heard a voice.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

Come with me if you want to live.

[Commercial Voice]

There were thousands of movies and shows and they were all free. It's just so Beautiful on Pluto TV. Free streaming of Terminator 2, Fringe Arrow, the 100 and the X Files may cause excitement, loss of sleep and sudden belief in extraterrestrials. No credit cards or alien encounters necessary. Pluto TV Stream now pay Never

[Narrator/Host]

Police process the crime scene and the medical examiner takes Brenda's body to a funeral home.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

It wasn't until I could get to the funeral home where we could do a thorough examination in the presence of the coroner.

[Narrator/Host]

During the autopsy, the coroner finds bite marks and 31 stab wounds. Forensic scientist and crime scene investigator George Shiro recalls the evidence that is collected.

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

I first became familiar with the Brenda Dupont case when I was working at the Louisiana State Police crime lab in 1988. There were over 75 items of evidence that were submitted to the Louisiana State Police lab. I was able to look at the items from the sexual assault kit, such as the vaginal washings and the vaginal swabs. We were able to identify seminal fluid and actually identified visually identified spermatozoa, so we knew that there was a sexual element involved to the case.

[Narrator/Host]

Investigators might have the killer's DNA, but there isn't much they can do with it at this point.

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

Well, back in 1988, forensic DNA analysis was in its infancy, it just wasn't as precise and accurate and as widely available as we needed. There weren't really any workable databases back then to compare things to.

[Narrator/Host]

The evidence leads the detectives to question whether the murder was a crime of passion.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

You want to talk to the people who live close. You want to talk to people who had knowledge of who she was and what she did. The investigators, they talked to several people who lived in the neighborhood in reference to the murder of Brenda Dupont. And you do want to talk to the family members. The sister lived right in front of Brenda Dupont.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

They wanted to take me to Baton Rouge to take a lie detector test. And I was willing the test said I passed it. They didn't have to worry about me. So they continued and continued testing other people that they thought would have done it.

[Narrator/Host]

Linda passes the polygraph, but she and her boyfriend Diker are still under a cloud of suspicion. The attack on Brenda was brutal and the investigators believe Linda or Diker would have heard her screaming.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

I believe they questioned Dike a good bit because here was Dike, I mean, right next door.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

Initially we thought that Linda and Diker's proximity and such a horrible and violent crime that they didn't hear anything. You know, we all investigators talked about that.

[Narrator/Host]

Linda and Diker claimed that the thunderstorm on the night of the murder must have drowned out Brenda's screams.

[Family Friend or Community Member]

I know if Linda would have heard anything, Linda would have gone out. I know Linda, Linda would have gone out and faced the killer, no doubt.

[Narrator/Host]

Detectives learn more about Brenda's romantic life. While speaking with her family, they discovered that she had been dating two men named David at the same time.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

We learned that Brenda was dating both of them during the same time. And we needed to find out if one found one another. They got both, got mad at one another if this was a revenge killing. So certainly we had to pick up those two and interview them.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

When you get this kind of information, you try to find that person and talk to them and, you know, see where were they at the time, what were they doing, what was going on with them. And like all other people, the investigators talked to them about this crime.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

It was later ruled out that they had nothing to do and were not affiliated with with the death of Brenda Dupont.

[Narrator/Host]

As the detectives continue their search for Brenda's killer, her family gathers for her funeral. 11 year old Monica will tragically have to face life without her mother.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

The whole family was devastated. I had donated my plot in the cemetery. My little brother made her headstone, a beautiful headstone.

[Narrator/Host]

The Family buries Brenda with her maiden name, Bergeron.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

It was only the immediate family could view her body because it was so badly messed up. And when I went to Sarah casket, I told her, brenda, before I die, I'm going to solve this murder. And I meant that.

[Narrator/Host]

One person missing from the funeral is Brenda's estranged husband, Jerry, who was separated from Brenda but remained a part of

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

the family after he found out Brenda was murdered. He never came around. My mom even offered him to be a pallbearer. He said yes, and he didn't show up. But you don't come to your own wife's funeral. Come on, now. We thought Jerry could be involved in it because, you know, he didn't want her anymore. He put her and her little girl out, and he left Brenda for another woman.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

Just a few weeks before she got killed, she had gone and met up with that woman that her husband Jerry was messing with. They got into an argument, and the lady was bigger than her. But Brenda did not back down. We mentioned everything to the cops. We told them about that.

[Narrator/Host]

The police look into Jerry and his girlfriend.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

Well, we're always going to pick up and talk to the estranged person. We have to rule him out as a suspect. Detectives contact the estranged spouse to see if it was a revenge killing and to see if, you know, there was any culpability.

[Narrator/Host]

Brenda's ex and his new girlfriend have solid alibis for the night of the murder, so they are checked off the suspect list. Despite interviewing hundreds of people, the police have no witnesses, no solid suspects, and no new leads.

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

We got to that point where we just couldn't do any more with it until the case evolved. And this is, I always say about this case, is this is a case that the evidence had to wait for. The technology to catch up with was

[Detective Jude Victorian]

very, very frustrating because we kept running into dead ends.

[Narrator/Host]

It's now October 1988. Five months have passed since Brenda was killed, and Opelousas is rocked by another murder.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

We had a report of a shooting approximately three or four city blocks from Brenda's homicide.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

A lot of people were concerned because it was a pretty shocking thing for them to know that something like this had happened in the city.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

Because of the proximity of the crimes, we thought that it could be our guy.

[Narrator/Host]

You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. They make it super simple. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with coverage options tailored to your choices. Plus, you'll see which discounts you may qualify for, like the online quote discount or savings for paying in full. In fact, 99% of Progressive Auto customers earn at least one discount. See if you could save when you switch to Progressive. You can. You'll feel good about making a savvy choice. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little extra cashback. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates national averaged 12 month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary. Finding the One can feel impossible. And in today's world, it's even harder. False profiles, Inaccurate pictures Incompatibilities Ghosting on dates Is this sounding familiar? But if you're ready to make your move to a new place, it doesn't have to feel like dating. All it takes is a simple search on apartments.com to find your perfect match. Whether you're looking for a three bedroom condo downtown, a two bedroom duplex in a quiet neighborhood, a cozy studio in a walkable city, or even a single family home in a cul de sac, you can find a place that checks all the right boxes. So whatever stage of life you're in, settle down in your perfect home by using apartments.com, no more swiping or awkward first dates. Make it easier to get a place that gets you. Visit apartments.com, the place to find a place.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

There was an individual, Clint Thompson, who was a person of interest.

[Narrator/Host]

Opelousa's police look for a connection between Clint Thompson, who was suspected of being involved with the shooting, and and Brenda's murder.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

He was chasing a female into a home, apparently to hurt her. There was an individual, a man who was at the home and shot and killed him.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

His case had some similarities to Brenda's crime because he was trying to get into a house. You know, there was a lady there. You know, we thought that, hey, this is, that was the big break. This was it. It was very, very urgent. Either we have our man who committed this horrible crime at Brenda's house, or we still have a killer out on the loose.

[Narrator/Host]

The dead man may be the killer. The investigators have been hunting, aiming to link Thompson to Brenda's murder. Detective Victorian turns to a new forensic technique, forensic odontology.

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

What's called pattern matching was touted as being almost as good as fingerprints by a lot of their experts.

[Narrator/Host]

Investigators want to compare the Bite marks on Brenda's breast to the suspect's dental impression.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

The marks were so identifiable on her that, you know, we had good pictures, good pictures to scale, and we gonna. We were gonna solve this case. My partner and I at the time went to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where we met with a forensic odontologist there who was sort of world renowned. He had a reputation. I remember my partner and I sitting down with this pathologist. After talking to him, we was just. I mean, I was just confident that the bite mark was going to bring us to where we need to. Needed to be. We needed exemplars of Thompson's teeth, and the coroner did the impressions and obtained the exemplars we needed. At that time, we had been in consultation with a second forensic odontologist. He was in Washington, D.C. at the FBI headquarters. He advised me if I could get over there, he would be more than happy to make some determination. And, you know, at that point, I got on the next flight out to Washington, D.C. with the exemplars and met the forensic pathologist at the FBI Academy. It was urgent that we get somebody to examine those exemplars so that we can move on with our investigation.

[Narrator/Host]

Detective Victorian still has suspicions about Linda's boyfriend, Diker Chavis. So he tests bite samples from both Diker and Thompson.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

The exemplars the forensic odontologist examined definitely ruled out Diker Ray Chavis as a suspect. However, Clint Thompson's exemplars bear some similarities. I was confident on my way back after obtaining that information, I was hopeful that we had our suspect.

[Narrator/Host]

As the prime suspect is already dead, investigators can't question him or employ their usual tactics.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

The chief of police typed up a statement that there was a similarity to the bite marks and sent it to the Louisiana State Police crime lab.

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

Once we had learned that back in 1989 that a bite mark had been identified, we'd considered the case solved based on the information we had at the time.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

So most of the people are not even looking at it again.

[Narrator/Host]

Brenda's sister Linda, isn't convinced that the case is closed.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

When the police came home and mentioned Clint Thompson may have done this to Brenda, I didn't go for it. I didn't know Clint Thompson, but I don't think Clint Thompson did this to Brenda.

[Narrator/Host]

The pathologist takes a closer look and determines that Clint Thompson couldn't have left the bite marks on Brenda. So investigators are right back to square one.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

I felt frustrated, you know, sad, because we just. We couldn't put our hands on a suspect.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

I asked her what's going on with Brenda's murder? Are y' all still working it? City court gave me custody of Brenda's daughter. And it was hard because Monica's only thing was who killed my mama? And we couldn't answer that. We couldn't answer it. What do you tell her?

[Narrator/Host]

Linda remembers the promise she made while standing at Brenda's casket. And she is determined to keep the case alive.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

And I said, no, in my book, it'll never be a cold case file. Never will be. That's my baby sister. And I promised her I was gonna solve it. And I planned to do just that. I keep Brenda's pictures in my den on the piano, and I have some on a bookshelf and just remember things that she and I did together. I said, brenda, I promised you I was gonna solve this case.

[Narrator/Host]

It's been a year since the murder, and detectives still have no idea who killed Brenda Dupont.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

You certainly get tips that you have to follow up on. It's just that all of it just wasn't turning up anything. We just didn't have anything solid to go with.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

They didn't want to tell me they had made it a cold case file.

[Narrator/Host]

As time passes, the leads in the case vanish and the case goes cold. It's now 1995, seven years since Brenda was killed, and Detective Victorian leaves the

[Detective Jude Victorian]

department, leaving the department, and the suspect is still running around. You know, it certainly frustrates you and you think about, did we miss out on anything? Did we leave something behind? You know, having to pass in front of that house, pass in that area at different times, certainly triggered certain emotions.

[Narrator/Host]

The trauma of losing her mother in such horrific circumstances takes a toll on Brenda's now 18 year old daughter, Monica.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

It was hard to see that child not being raised by her mother. Linda loved her dearly and did everything she could for the child. But we could tell the child longed for her mother.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

Monica wouldn't stay home. She got to drinking, she started drugging. She wasn't taking good care of herself. She had friends that didn't care about her.

[Narrator/Host]

Monica moves to Georgia to start over. Linda remains determined as ever to get justice for Brenda.

[Family Friend or Community Member]

Linda's persistence, her bravery, her love for her sister kept this hope alive. But she stayed on them. And she called the police officer and say, please help us find the killer. After spending 28 years of state police, I was elected sheriff of St. Landry parish in 2006. I've been sheriff ever since. When I first got elected sheriff, in fact, Linda said, okay, big boy, we want to close this case. She was not a pain, but she would call me routinely. And she'd called the chief of police at that time and say, please help us find the killer. And when another chief came along, Mr. Gallo, he was hounded, rightfully so, by Linda.

[Narrator/Host]

It's December 2007, and Perry Gallo is about to become the new chief of police.

[Chief Perry Gallo]

I decided to run a campaign for the elected position of Chief of police. And during the course of that campaigning, I came across family members who expressed an interest in solving cases that had gone dormant or cold. And one family in particular was Linda, who asked me to please have someone look into this, her sister's case. And I assured her that I would.

[Narrator/Host]

In 2012, Chief Gallo maintains his promise and opens a cold case unit in the Opelousas Police Department.

[Chief Perry Gallo]

I knew the perfect person to look at these cases, and that individual, of course, was Dwayne Grimmit. It's safe to say that there are certain investigators who have better working relationships with crime labs, and Duane Grimmitt is one of those guys.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

When you start working a case like this, you have to make sure that you have everything that either the crime lab has or that your office has, or they kept it. There was a lot of paperwork that I had to regenerate as far as getting it from the crime lab or witnesses. You had to find the witnesses and talk to them and get statements from them.

[Chief Perry Gallo]

Again, it was obviously to us through experience that the person that did this new brain. Because of the violence that took place inside the home.

[Narrator/Host]

Lt. Grimit interviews previous witnesses, including Diker Chavis, who was once a person of interest. During the interview, Diker mentions a name that had come up during the early stages of the investigation. One of Brenda's boyfriends. Diker tells the investigators that that he'd heard a rumor that the man had confessed on his deathbed.

[Chief Perry Gallo]

This is someone that knew this victim.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

I was determined to find out what took place in that house with Brenda Dupont in 1988.

[Narrator/Host]

It's March 2012, and Lieutenant Grimet is following up on the lead provided by Diker Chavis.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

She was dating Brenda Dupont at the time this incident happened with her dyke. Chavis told me that they thought that David was involved in this crime.

[Narrator/Host]

Unfortunately, the information leads to a dead end. But the police still have the DNA samples taken in 1988. Grimet thinks that their best shot is to run the swabs, so he asks George Shiro to help.

[Forensic Expert George Shiro]

It wasn't until 2012 that we actually were able to take those vaginal swabs and test them and get a result. Normally, we look at 16 genetic markers on a DNA molecule. We got 12 of the 16, but it was still good enough that we could get it into a database.

[Narrator/Host]

Shiro runs the DNA through codis, a national database of DNA samples, and gets a hit. It matches a man named Janelle Rubin. It's a name Lieutenant Grimet has heard before.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

I immediately went to the evidence room and started searching for Brenda's case. And when I pull the case out, there's a bag of 8 millimeter tapes. And I grab the bag and I start going through it. And the first person that I come across is John L. Rubin.

[Narrator/Host]

Rubin was 18 when Brenda was murdered. And police had questioned him at the time because he had a connection to Linda's children.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

Janelle was a don't give a damn about nothing person. He was getting arrested a lot. God, he didn't have a good record.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

I had known him through my job as a police officer. John L. And I had had a couple of encounters as me as a police officer in the neighborhood. He'd get in trouble from time to time. And I go to the evidence room and I listen to the tapes. And that's when I find out pretty much that he had scratches on his neck. Brenda Dupont had cuts all over her body. So the person that was responsible for this may have had scratch, some type of wound on him also.

[Narrator/Host]

When questioned about the scratches in 1988, Rubin explained that he had gotten into an argument with his girlfriend. He also gives an alibi, but the police never verified it. Grimit immediately contacts the woman who allegedly provided Reuben with the scratches and the alibi. And she doesn't remember it the way Ruben did. Linda also has information that deepens the suspicions over Ruben.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

She gave us a statement about John L. About how John L. Was there the night before this incident happened, and he was playing with a knife. And then I learned that John L. Rubin had been arrested on a domestic abuse charge. So went to the Appaloosa's police department, and I got him out of jail, brought him to my office, sat down and started talking to him. To John ell as in reference to the murder of Brenda Dupont. I mean, you still have a lot to. You gotta finish the case. You wanna make sure that the person that you're fixing to put in jail is the right person that committed this crime. Once he was placed in the jail, he was right there in my fingertips. All I had to go, all I had to do over there and get him and bring him back to the office and talk to him. I remember walking into this interview room in 2012, talking to John L. Rubin, knowing that I had DNA evidence. DNA hit on him. I wasn't sure that he was going to give me the information that I was looking for, but it felt good to have him in that room. And you can see that he's crossing his arms. He wants to listen to what I have to say, but he doesn't want to give me any information.

[Narrator/Host]

Reuben denies going to Brenda's house, but Lt. Grimet knows he has DNA evidence that says otherwise. He orders a second DNA comparison to strengthen the case. And when it matches again, a judge signs an arrest warrant. On March 29, 2012, Rubin is brought back to the station.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

I tried to get him to tell me what had taken place there, and he wouldn't budge. So I told him I had a warrant for his arrest. Said, I have a vaginal swab that was taken from Brenda Dupont that matches you.

[Narrator/Host]

Janelle Rubin is shocked and insists that the DNA is not his. But the evidence is strong enough for investigators to charge him with first degree murder and aggravated rape. Police Chief Gallo informs Brenda's sister of the development.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

I was outside sweeping my carports, and Perry Gallo called my house, and he said, I want to meet you at my office at 12, because we made an arrest. He said, we arrested Jonelle Rubin. I said, After 24 years, y' all finally got him.

[Narrator/Host]

It's January 2016. Almost 28 years have passed since Brenda Dupont was murdered, and her killer is finally facing trial. The defense argues that the prosecution can't place Reuben inside the house based on the evidence. But Lieutenant Grimet tells a different story.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

John L. Rubin came through the back window on the south side of the house, possibly using that ladder to get into that window, and surprised Brenda. He sexually assaulted her. He stabbed her a number of times, probably with the knife that he was carrying, and he got out of the window.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

I believe it's because Brenda was sort of defenseless, you know, he figured, well, she's small, she won't defend herself. I believe that's what happened.

[Narrator/Host]

Ruben was tried. And on January 27, 2016, the jury returns with a verdict. After two hours of deliberations, they find Janelle Rubin guilty of first degree murder.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

When that verdict come in that he was guilty, and then at that time, you saw where it really got to him, and he was taken away, and

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

the newspaper man took a picture of. You could see tears in his face. Oh, God. He just thought he was going to be found not guilty after all these years.

[Narrator/Host]

Three weeks after the verdict is returned, the judge sentences Reuben to life in prison.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

There's so much relief, I'm sure. Not only for me, the department that was working this case, and also the family. You know, I know that they were relieved that Brenda Dupont's killer was now going to jail for the rest of his life.

[Narrator/Host]

After years of hoping for justice, the family is dealt another crushing blow. Just two months after Ruben is sentenced, Brenda's daughter Monica passes away. She was just 39 years old.

[Family Member (possibly another sister or close relative)]

I know her little girl would still be alive if my sister would be alive. You cannot come to terms with something like that. That happens every October. We have a day, it's called All Saints Day. Once a year we clean our loved ones graves and we put them fresh new flowers. I like to tell her everything's gonna be okay now. You will always be my little gatto choux. I love you dearly.

[Brenda's Sister Linda]

I did visit Brenda's grave after he was found guilty. And I told Brenda I was gonna solve this. And it was like I had did my work and there it is. And it's like I could feel her, you know, I could feel her around me. Yes, indeed.

[Narrator/Host]

Cold case files is hosted by paula barros. It's produced by the law and crime network and written by eileen mcfarlane and emily g. Thompson. Our composer is blake maples. For a and e, our senior producer is john thrasher and our supervisor producer is mckamey lin. Our executive producers are jesse katz, maite cueva and peter tarshis. This podcast is based on a e's emmy winning tv series, cold case files. For more cold case files, visit aetv.com.

[Commercial Voice]

At first, I didn't think it was real. I woke up to this blinding light and I was transported to another place. Pluto tv. Then I heard a voice.

[Lt. Duane Grimet]

Come with me if you want to live.

[Commercial Voice]

There were thousands of movies and shows and they were all free.

[Narrator/Host]

Truth is our sin.

[Commercial Voice]

It's just so Beautiful on Pluto TV. Free streaming of Terminator 2, Fringe Arrow, the 100 and the X Files may cause excitement, loss of sleep and sudden belief in extraterrestrials. No credit cards or alien encounters necessary. Pluto TV stream now. Pay never.

[Narrator/Host]

For a small business owner, every day is full of surprises. Some great, some not so great.

Like when a client cancels their order at the last minute. But here's a surprise you will like.

Progressive provides small business owners with 30 customizable coverage options to help keep their business going strong. So Go ahead, surprise yourself.

Get a quote in as little as

8 [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates and third party insurers. Coverage is not available in all states or for all vehicles and coverage selections.

[Chief Perry Gallo]

Celebrate America's 2-50th with Dish for a limited time. Get an extra $250 off when you sign up. Call 888Add Dish or visit dish.com today and use code DISH250 to claim your $250 savings. That's 888Add Dish.

[Detective Jude Victorian]

Offer ends August 12th.

[Commercial Voice]

Terms apply. I'm Kiana and I leveled up my business with Shopify. Once I figured out that Shopify was a thing, I never turned back. I can create a site with my eyes closed. Shopify thinks ahead of know and it thinks about the customer more than anything. Every day I'm thinking about some other new business, but Shopify is doing it to me because it's so easy to use. It's like I can't stop. I'm addicted. Start your free [e-mail].