In the summer of 2018, the life of a young mother and registered nurse was tragically cut short in a violent act that stemmed from a tumultuous relationship. Gabrielle Nicole Joseph Bessix, a 27-year-old female, was killed on Monday, August 20, 2018, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her death was the result of a shooting that took place in the morning, around 9:48 AM, in the 2400 block of Bunker Hill Drive.
The incident unfolded as a murder-suicide, perpetrated by her 25-year-old ex-boyfriend, Brodrick Jhy Edwards.
On that fateful Monday morning, a domestic dispute between Bessix and Edwards escalated. During the altercation, a concerned Bessix called a friend to her home. As her friend arrived, she witnessed a horrifying scene: Edwards chasing Bessix out of her residence. It was then that Edwards fatally shot Bessix. He also fired at her friend, who was struck by a bullet but managed to escape and was later treated at a local hospital for her injuries. After shooting both women, Edwards turned the gun on himself, ending his own life at the scene. Both Bessix and Edwards were pronounced dead at the location of the incident.
The events leading up to the murder-suicide revealed a history of domestic turmoil. Court records indicated that Bessix had previously sought legal protection from Edwards. In late July of the same year, she had requested a restraining order against him, citing instances of stalking and physical abuse. In her request, she detailed a disturbing encounter where Edwards allegedly confronted her outside a hospital, attempted to force her into his vehicle, choked her, and threatened her life. A hearing regarding the restraining order had taken place just a week before the deadly shooting.
Gabrielle Bessix was a native of Donaldsonville and a graduate of Donaldsonville High School's class of 2009. She went on to pursue a career in nursing, graduating from Southern University Nursing School in the fall of 2014. At the time of her death, she was working as a registered nurse. She was a mother to a young daughter, who was fortunately at school when the tragic events unfolded at her home. Her death left behind a grieving family, including her parents and a brother, and a community shocked by the sudden and violent loss of a dedicated healthcare professional.
