In what was supposed to be a week of celebration for their 25th wedding anniversary and Dwayne's 47th birthday, the lives of Dwayne Allen Hanson and his family were tragically cut short. On November 7, 2016, in a horrific act of violence in their Old Jefferson home, 46-year-old Dwayne, his wife Samantha, and their 20-year-old pregnant daughter, Sydney, were brutally murdered.
Dwayne Hanson and his wife were both shot, while their daughter Sydney was stabbed to death.
The family was discovered after a fire was reported at their residence. Emergency services arrived to a scene that Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand described as horrific. The investigation quickly pointed to Jatory Evans, the ex-boyfriend of Sydney Hanson. Concern had already been growing among Sydney's colleagues at the Audubon Zoo when she failed to appear for her shift and a baby shower they had planned for her. They were aware that she had recently sought a temporary restraining order against Evans. In a chilling discovery, the restraining order was found near Sydney's body.
Following a daylong manhunt, law enforcement located and arrested Jatory Evans in New Orleans. He sustained injuries, including scratches and cuts, that were consistent with a struggle. Evans was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree feticide for the death of Sydney's unborn child.
The community and friends of the Hanson family were left in shock and mourning. Described as kind, big-hearted people who loved life, Dwayne and Samantha were active members of the NOLA Social Ride community, known for their weekly 'Happy Thursday' bike rides. They were remembered as a strong family unit who cherished their twin daughters. The case, however, would not proceed to a full trial. While awaiting legal proceedings, Jatory Evans hanged himself in his jail cell in September 2017.
