The Atchafalaya killings

[slavyori]

November 3rd, 2017​

You spend the night clicking away at the channels on your television or doomscrolling on your phone, until a blonde news reporter adorned in red lipstick and youthful energy fills the screen.
“Good evening- thank you for tuning in. I’m Kelly Hillbrook, coming to you with a recap on the recent findings of the Atchafalaya killings.”

The camera switches frames to a beautiful scene of the Louisiana Bayou, with the reporter narrating over the scenery.
“Almost a year ago, these beautiful wetlands were known as a tourist attraction and as the cultural identity of Louisiana, vital to our ecosystem and treasured by every community to settle here. The waters are known to give life to the most beautiful butterflies and the most adorable otters, but is known for its most famous residents-”

A smooth transition is made to a long shot of a crocodilian, blinking slowly.
“The American Alligator.”
“These reptilians are the apex predator of Louisiana's bayous, and few dare to enter their murky waters. Contrary to common belief, they are generally fearful and shy of humans due to our size. However, this rule of course does not apply to the deceased.”

The view switches to police tape barring off a dock into the swamp, with a few police officers and detectives sitting in a boat.
“On May 22nd, 2017, a boater spotted a group of Alligators feeding in the water on something in the Atchafalaya Basin. After seeing a finger floating upon the surface of the water, the citizen immediately contacted law enforcement. When law enforcement attempted to recover the human remains from the area that was reported, they were unable to locate any that have not been consumed by the wildlife.”

A photo of William Haynes and his crew are seen posing next to a captured Alligator in a scene from the famous GatorMan™ television series, switching to multiple shots from the series as the narration continued.
“In an unexpected twist of fate, William Haynes from GatorMan™ was contacted by Law Enforcement in order to assist in the capture of wildlife who possibly consumed the human remains. Out of respect for the deceased, Haynes decided not to air his work on GatorMan™, instead taking a break from the series while he assisted his community. Time was ticking quickly however, as he and his crew needed to find an Alligator with the human remains before it was fully digested, giving him a very small time frame. Using his expert knowledge of Alligator feeding behaviors and migratory patterns, he was able to find one in only two days, and successfully captured and sedated it so its stomach content could be examined by experts. William Haynes would continue to aid Law Enforcement in capturing wildlife for the remainder of the crisis.”

A high school graduation photo of a young woman with brunette hair and bright blue eyes is shown, as the reporter speaks softly.
“The human remains were identified as Sarah Rockford, a nineteen year old New Orleans native with a loving family and boyfriend. Police immediately began their investigation and questioned everyone she may have known, but no leads were able to be identified. As detectives continued to work tirelessly on the case, more human remains were found in the swamp water, belonging to another New Orleans native. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, and mass panic began to rise in the New Orleans community.”

The view switches to the scene of several Search and Rescue Firefighters resting and sleeping inside their helicopter while fully geared up. Among the helicopter crew, you might recognize Lieutenant Hayley Brisset if you knew her. Another shot includes more Search and Rescue members riding in a speedboat down the Bayou waters, with a blurred out area in the boat.
“The New Orleans Fire Department and other nearby Fire Departments went on full alert after a second victim was found, sending frequent patrols in the Atchafalaya Basin and working tirelessly to search for surviving victims and human remains. A total of fifteen victims were killed over the course of five months. According to reports, initially the victims were tied up by the perpetrator and left to drown in the water, however as the Alligators became more aggressive with the consumption of human remains, some victims may have been killed by the Alligators without drowning. Search and Rescue teams managed to recover a victim who escaped the gator infested waters, being rescued by boat but unfortunately passing away from his injuries.”

A clip interview with the tired and agitated NOPD Police Chief is played, dated August 17th.
“These past three months have been a nightmare, but we’re working day and night to stop this. We’re getting close to uncovering this ******, trust me. Some of our detectives are pulling every card in the book to find this guy.”

An image is shown of a woman and a man sitting on opposite ends of a desk, sorting through papers and folders. One might recognize the woman as Detective Aria Torrez and the man as Ashton Ashley Piper.
“One of the newest detectives in the New Orleans Police Department, Detective Aria Torrez teamed up with Journalist Ashton Piper to try and gather as much information as possible. Despite receiving orders to not work with the journalist and to not divulge any information about the case to him, she did so anyways, resulting in harsh reprimands and almost termination from the NOPD. However, Ashton Piper was key in uncovering information about possible suspects and personally investigating the case in jurisdictions that Law Enforcement could not.

The frame switches to a photo of a smiling Aria Torrez giving a thumbs up in a hospital bed while hooked up to several IVs and wearing bandages around her abdomen.
“After getting enough tips and leads from Piper, Torrez went undercover without authorization, and gathered enough evidence on suspect Andrew Johnson, apprehending him while he was moving his sixteenth victim towards the Atchafalaya Basin. A firefight broke out between the two, and both were sent to the hospital in critical condition. Both the suspect and Torrez survived, with Andrew Johnson currently awaiting trial and Torrez making a full recovery. The NOPD has made no comment on whether Detective Torrez is receiving reprimands for her actions.”

The NOPD Police Chief comes onto screen again with a more recent date of November 1st, 2017. He speaks less aggressively this time, but still has bags under his eyes.
“Thanks to the actions of our Search and Rescue teams, our friends from GatorMan, helpful journalists, and brave law enforcement, we have managed to capture the primary suspect believed to be involved in the Atchafalaya killings. We couldn’t have stopped this without the amazing New Orleans community to help back us up.”

The blonde woman returns to the screen once again, a somber expression upon her face, speaking in a soft tone.
“That will be it for tonight’s report on the Atchafalaya killings- the New Orleans community is still healing from the loss of so many loved ones, and we give our hopes and prayers to all who have been affected by these terrible events.”