Ella Quiana Goodie, a 32-year-old mother of two from Scott, Louisiana, was a caring individual who looked after her handicapped mother and younger brother. To support her family, she worked as a driver for the ridesharing service Lyft and would also provide rides independently of the platform. On the morning of March 9, 2022, she reportedly set out to drive a passenger to Houston, Texas. This was the last time her family heard from her. She was last seen wearing a denim jacket and blue pants.
Her vehicle, a black 2012 Audi Q5 with Texas license plate NRN6551, was seen on Interstate 10 heading towards Texas. Worry set in when she did not return and could not be reached.
The investigation into Ella's disappearance began when her brother filed a missing person report. Authorities discovered that her cell phone last pinged near Iowa, Louisiana. Traffic cameras provided a troubling timeline; twelve hours after she was seen driving towards Texas, her vehicle was captured returning to Louisiana. The following day, the same car was spotted on traffic cameras north of Dallas, Texas. A person of interest, Brandon Jermaine Francisco, was identified by the Scott Police Department as he was believed to be the last person to have had contact with her. It was later determined that Goodie was not driving for the Lyft platform on the day she went missing. The search for Ella intensified, with the FBI and U.S. Marshals joining the investigation due to the multi-jurisdictional nature of the case.
Tragically, the investigation transitioned from a missing person case to a homicide investigation based on evidence and witness statements. A significant break in the case came when Ella's Audi Q5 was found abandoned in St. Joseph, Missouri. Subsequently, Brandon Jermaine Francisco was arrested in Missouri on an outstanding warrant from Rapides Parish for failing to appear in court on the same day Ella disappeared. This case is a heart-wrenching story of a mother who went missing while trying to provide for her family. The discovery of her vehicle far from home and the subsequent shift to a homicide investigation brought immense pain to her loved ones, who continue to seek answers and closure. The investigation highlighted the complexities and dangers that can be associated with rideshare driving and the challenges of multi-state investigations.Last Seen: Mar 9, 2022
