Ronald Dominique toppled the crime scene in rural Louisiana after twenty years of little or no serial killings. The killer was able to conceal his crime long enough to fool the authorities till a minor slip led back to him.
As it is, his arrest in December 2006 and subsequent sentencing to life imprisonment is an eye opener to the level of crime he committed against more than twenty-three boys and men within a period of a decade.
Did You Know These Blood-curdling And Shocking Facts About Ronald Dominique?
1. He Comes from a Poor Family
He was born Ronald Joseph Dominique on January 9, 1964, in Thibodaux Louisiana. Dominique and his two older siblings grew up in a trailer park as their parents were poor laborers.
That being said, his younger years were lived in poverty but he was lucky enough to attend the local high school based in the town.
2. Ronald Dominique Once Denied Being Gay
His younger years were filled with an identity crisis that led to his being bullied by classmates. While still a student at Thibodaux High School, his disposition combined with health problems made him a target for bullying.
Moving on, fate worsened after he was discovered to be gay. Apparently, his classmates saw him visiting gay bars leading to more sidelining for the unpopular Ronald. While his sexual preference later proved he was gay, he once denied the fact probably due to the bullying he experienced.
In fact, he used to dress up as Patti LaBelle, the singer, and actress whom he admired a lot.
3. The Louisiana Native is a School Dropout
Dominique was able to complete High School in 1983 but the years after that marked a shift from gaining another certificate.
He had enrolled to study computer science at Nicholls State University but soon dropped out after he lost interest in his chosen course.
Subsequently, he never went back to school and this affected his ability to find or keep a job. In fact he lived most of his life on the goodwill of relatives like his mother and sister.
4. He Had Clashes with The Law Before his First Killing
The years preceding his killing spree were marked with several clashes with the law mostly involving sexual harassment charges. As the story goes, Dominique was arrested back in 1985 for harrassment committed via the telephone. He paid a fine of $75 and this marked the beginning of a string of offenses.
In 1994, he was arrested for drunk driving but only paid a fine and left to go after which he came close to entering the police net two years later. By 1996, an unidentified man escaped through the window of Dominique’s sister’s house after being raped by Dominique.
This incident led to a stiff penalty including a bail set at $100 thousand but was later dropped since his victim could not be identified.
His next victim and perhaps the only documented woman in his crimes. He had an altercation with her in 2002. As revealed, he hit the woman after she allegedly hit a baby stroller due to dangerous driving. However, the case was later resolved amicably after a reconciliation between the two.
5. Most of His Victims Were Gay
Going back to his first victim, a nineteen-year-old African American named David Mitchell, he lured mostly gay men of African-American roots. Though Michell’s family refuted the claims that he was gay or had any financial or drug problems, most of his victims were gay men who were lured with the promise of drugs, group sex, or a place to stay.
Moreso, he was never described as a racial serial killer, yet, his choice of gay men comes from his own sexual orientation of being gay.
Furthermore, Dominique’s victim’s profiles ranged from the ages of 16 to 46.
6. And Ronald Dominique Became The Bayou Strangler
The heinous details related to serial killings has led to some of the most chilling nicknames ever. Ranging from the Angel of Death, El Mataviejitas, Rostov Ripper, and The Lady Killer, the gruesomeness never seems to capture the pain inflicted.
Dominique became known as The Bayou Strangler following his crimes and place of residence. His preferred method of killing his victims included tying, raping, and strangling which ultimately gave him the nickname.
In fact, at the time the police started connecting his victims to peculiar marks, many of them spotted strangulation marks.
7. He Killed 23 Men and Boys To Avoid Going to Jail
As to his actual crimes, the Bayou resident often tied his conquests before having his way with them and those that he overpowered were those that fell to his darker side. While he claimed to have released others willingly, in real life many became victims.
Moreso, he strangled his victims after raping them after which he loaded their remains in his truck to be disposed of in one of the 6 nearby administrative blocks called Parishes in Louisiana.
Purportedly, he killed this victims to eliminate witnesses and avoid going to prison again. Obviously, his first rape arrest had put that notion in him as he continued to be in a negative state bordering to a mental disorder.
See Also: Roy Demeo – How Did One Of The Most Notorious Hitmen Die? All Facts
8. The Bayou Strangler Arrested After Killing his 23rd Victim who Happens to be His Boyfriend
From the moment that his crime became public knowledge, the police started devicing a means to catch the culprit. On his part, Dominique knew that it was only a matter of time before the police caught up with him.
His last known crime was the murder of Christopher Sutterfield who happened to be his boyfriend. Dominique and the bisexual Sutterfield met in the summer of 2006. Shortly after, they started dating till things took a turn for the worse in October when they went out on a date. He hit Sutterfield with a heavy object to the head and disposed of his body.
As it is, that last crime not only left traces to him but it would eventually bring his killing days to an end. While he left his sister’s house to a bunker house, he later revealed his motive as waiting for an arrest.
The victims family contributed to the capture of the killer by describing the type of truck that he used. The turning moment came when Ricky Wallace, a known drug addict reported his own encounter with Dominique. While his testimony was doubted Dominique having earlier been arrested voluntarily agreed to a blood test.
9. Dominque Pleaded Guilty To Avoid The Death Penalty
How sad that Dominique found killing a way to avoid jail yet, he did not want to be killed. Having eluded the authorities for a long, he made sure he dictated his terms of freedom when he negotiated.
As is generally reported, the Bayou Strangler decided to plead guilty on September 24, 2008, in the event that he would not be sentenced to death but instead serve life in prison.
Negotiating with the DA for a lighter sentence often referred to as a plea bargain is not unheard of in the US legal system and likewise, a murder case like that of Dominique had to be quickly wrapped up.
In fact, his attorney, Richard Goorley explained it as saving taxpayers money in legal proceedings since anyone serving 8 consecutive life sentences eliminates any chance of them being tried for other cases.
10. The Bayou Strangler is the Subject of Media Portrayal
His heinous crimes have become a part of media culture whether in books or screens due to the shocking and unbelievable nature of his crimes. While this portrayal piques the interests of True Crimes followers, they best remain on screen or book pages rather than play out in real life.
Dominique is portrayed in;
- Bayou Blue
- Killer Profile(Season 1 Episode 04)
- Killers: Behind the Myth(Season3 episode 8)
- Mark of a Killer(The Bayou Strangler)
Where is Ronald Dominique Now?
The 60-year-old was 44 at the time of his sentence in 2008 after two years of legal back and forth. Out of the 23 murders, The Strangler is serving a sentence for only 8 victims. His confessions gave the police a vivid account of the victims and the locations where he had disposed them across Lousiana.
Currently, Ronald Dominique is serving his prison sentence at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola which is considered one of the most dangerous prisons.
In conclusion, Ronald Dominique murdered 23 boys and men before he was arrested and sentenced to eight consecutive prison sentences. While his chances of parole are minimal, the Bayou Strangler entered a plea bargain to avoid a death sentence.
Moreso, while he gained his nickname from strangulating his victims comprised mainly of gay men, he remains one of the most dangerous serial killers in Lousiana.
