The Picayune Item

Local News

November 10, 2007

Searchers find body that may be woman missing since August

PICAYUNE — Search and rescue workers believe they have found the body of a woman who has been missing since Aug. 3.

The body found Saturday morning is believed to be that of 29 year-old Brandi Hawkins Laurent who disappeared after a marital spat with her husband.

According information provided by law enforcement officers in the days following her disappearance, Laurent left her home on the night of Aug. 3, with no keys, cell phone or wallet after she and her husband had engaged in an argument.

Another search for Laurent took place Saturday morning, and a short time after it began a body was found close to Laurent’s home, friends said. The search was conducted by Texas Equusearch, an organization under the direction of a man whose daughter was abducted and murdered, according to http://www.texasequusearch.org/about_us.html. The search included Laurent’s friends, family, law enforcement officers and Texas Equusearch members.

About 20 minutes into their search, friends of Laurent got word that a body believed to be that of Laurent was discovered near a pipeline about a mile or two from Laurent’s home.

“It wasn’t too far from her home,” Madelyn Spiers said.

An investigator indirectly involved in the case said the body has not been properly identified yet. Hancock Sheriff Steve Garber was unavailable for comment Saturday afternoon.

Friends said that Laurent’s disappearance was uncharacteristic since she would be leaving her children unattended. Spiers said she grew up with Laurent, but lost touch with her as an adult. However, she remembers Laurent to be a smart and responsible person.

“That’s why we know that she did not leave her kids,” Spiers said.

The day she disappeared Spiers said she had contacted Laurent through the popular web site MySpace.

Friends said that Laurent and her husband could have been having marital troubles. Rachael Schustz-Steeve said the last time she talked to Laurent, about a year ago, Laurent talked about some issues she was having with her husband.

“She was in a bad place,” Schustz-Steeve said. “She was very upset.”

Jennifer Warton said she last saw Laurent where she worked. While Warton was going through the checkout line at the local Dollar Store, Laurent told her about some marital issues she was having.

“You could tell she wasn’t happy that day,” Warton said.

Described as a bright, loving and an intelligent person, Laurent is the mother of two children.

“She really loved her kids cause that’s all she talked about was them girls,” Warton said.

Text Only
Local News
  • PAINTING HYDRANTS PAINTING HYDRANTS

    Firefighters with Picayune Fire Department conduct regular maintenance on the city’s many fire hydrants, such as giving them a fresh coat of paint.

    May 28, 2012 1 Photo

  • Two charged with making meth around kids

    Two parents were arrested for allegedly making and possessing methamphetamine, while their children were in the home.

    May 28, 2012

  • Unemployment rate down slightly

    Pearl River County’s unemployment rate dropped slightly between March and April of this year.

    May 28, 2012

  • PMHS GRADUATION PMHS GRADUATION

    Picayune Memorial High School held its graduation ceremony Thursday night where the school’s valedictorian Jared Christopher Bates, left, and salutatorian Bryce Austin Warden gave their speeches.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • POPLARVILLE GRADUATION POPLARVILLE GRADUATION

    Poplarville High School held its graduation ceremony Thursday night where the school’s valedictorian Rebecca Starke, left, and salutatorian Meagan Whitworth gave their speeches to the graduating class, parents and friends.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Local man paralyzed by juvenile shooting

    Medical personnel were teaching a local man how to swallow again on Saturday after his spinal cord was severed by a .22 caliber bullet, fired by one of three juveniles, on Thursday.

    May 26, 2012

  • Potential bridge replacement fund shortage draws discussion

    Despite a lengthy agenda for Pearl River County supervisors Wednesday the board handled many of the items with a straight up and down 5-0 vote.

    May 26, 2012

  • Glade Woods dies Glade Woods dies

    Funeral services for Earl Glade Woods , 75 of Picayune, are Monday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Picayune. Woods passed away on Friday.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • MHP on patrol for holiday

    Even though there has been a remarkable reduction in the number of fatalities in Mississippi over the past seven years, last year’s Memorial Day Weekend was particularly deadly.

    May 26, 2012

  • POLICE MEMORIAL POLICE MEMORIAL

    City employees were out at the Picayune Police Department memorial Thursday morning doing some upgrades to it.

    May 25, 2012 1 Photo

Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
House Ads
Seasonal Content
AP Video
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter