In the summer of 1994, the city of New Orleans was in the grip of fear as a suspected serial killer, later nicknamed the 'Storyville Slayer,' preyed upon vulnerable women. On July 3rd of that year, the body of 32-year-old Michelle Foster, an African-American female, was discovered, adding another victim to a growing and disturbing tally. Her death was one of more than two dozen unsolved murders of predominantly African-American women, many of whom struggled with drug use or were involved in sex
work, that occurred between 1991 and 1995.
The discovery of Michelle Foster's remains was made along U.S. Highway 51, on a desolate stretch of road situated between LaPlace and Manchac. She had been reported missing for several days prior to her body being found. The circumstances of her discovery mirrored a grim pattern established by the elusive killer. Victims were frequently left in remote, water-logged locations such as swamps and canals, a tactic that significantly hindered the gathering of forensic evidence due to the advanced state of decomposition.
In response to the string of slayings, a multi-jurisdictional task force was assembled, and the FBI was brought in to assist in the investigation into the murder of Michelle Foster and the other women. Despite these efforts, her case, like many of the others, proved difficult to solve. Over the course of the investigation, two men emerged as potential suspects. One was a New Orleans police officer named Victor Gant, who was known to have a personal connection with one of the other victims. While he was publicly identified as a suspect in two of the murders, no direct evidence ever surfaced to connect him to Foster's death, and he was never formally charged.
Another individual who came under scrutiny was Russell Ellwood, a former taxi driver. Ellwood was eventually arrested and convicted for the murder of Cheryl Lewis, another victim believed to be part of the same series of killings. However, authorities were unable to definitively link him to Michelle Foster's death, and he was not charged in her case. In the end, the investigation into who was responsible for the death of Michelle Foster failed to produce any definitive answers, leaving her murder officially unsolved.
