Ronald Dominique: The Bayou Strangler (Part 1)
Morbid
02/12/24
•56m
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In the spring of 2005, law enforcement officials in southern Louisiana had a growing number of murder victims they had begun to suspect were connected to an unidentified serial killer operating in the area. The victims were all men, mostly in their twenties and thirties, many had histories of drug and alcohol abuse or were known to police as sex-workers, and all had been strangled and dumped in secondary locations.
Over the course of a decade, Ronald Dominique developed into one of the worst and most prolific serial killers in American history; yet his story and those of his victims remains largely unknown and ignored by the mainstream media.
Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Renal Podcasts for research!
References
Alford, Jeremy. 2005. New information coming soon in local murders. August 24. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2005/08/24/new-information-coming-soon-in-local-murders/27020266007/.
Armstrong, Shell. 2007. Dominique pleads not guilty to 9 murders. January 17. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatimes.com/news/dominique-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-murders/.
Associated Press. 2005. "Man found in Lafource Parish was from Houma area." Abberville Meridional, May 3: 2.
—. 2005. "Deaths od five south Lousiana men may be linked, police say." Shreveport Times, April 25: 12.
—. 1999. "La. deaths may be work of serial killer." Shreveport Times, June 23: 5B.
—. 2006. "Police look for links between serial suspect, priest's death." Shreveport Times, December 9: 22.
—. 2006. "Arrest made in serial-killer investigation." Town Talk, December 2: 17.
—. 2006. "Serial murder suspect was average Joe, says shelter residents." Town Talk, December 3: 8.
DeSantis, John. 2006. Accused lived on the fringe of two worlds. December 4. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128012212/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20061204/News/608089983/HC.
Hunter, Michelle. 2006. "Serial-killer suspect confesses; Trysts led to rapes, strangling, cops told." Times-Picatune, December 6.
L'observateur. 1999. Beaten teen’s body discovered in Kenner. October 26. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1998/10/26/beaten-teens-body-discovered-in-kenner/.
—. 1999. Two deaths reclassified as murders in St. Charles Parish. Fdebruary 6. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1999/02/06/two-deaths-reclassified-as-murders-in-st-charles-parish/.
Morris, Robert. 2006. Mother protests dead son’s link to serial killer. June 19. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131004921/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20060619/News/608089995/HC.
Ramage, James. 2005. "Serial killer theory floats around cases." Shreveport Times, May 15: 1.
Rosen, Fred. 2017. The Bayou Strangler. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
—. 2018. Uncovering the Truth Behind One of the Bayou Strangler’s Victims. April 10. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://the-line-up.com/uncovering-the-truth-behind-one-of-the-bayou-stranglers-victims.
St. Charles Heral-Guide. 2006. Mother’s tears for son killed by serial madman Dominique. 12 06. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.heraldguide.com/tragedy/mothers-tears-for-son-killed-by-serial-madman-dominique/.
The Daily Review. 2002. "Houma man's body found." Daily Review, October 17: 6.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Previous Episode
The Murder of Gary Triano
February 8, 2024
•59m
On the evening of November 1, 1996, Tucson, Arizona real estate developer and businessman Gary Triano got into his car at the La Paloma Country Club intending to head home, where friends and family were waiting for Gary’s surprise birthday party. However, before Gary had even put the key in the ignition, the car exploded in a ball of flame, plunging the club into panic and chaos, and killing Gary instantly.
To investigators, the car bomb planted under Gary’s car had all the hallmarks of a professional hit, and with Gary’s business dealings and financial troubles, there were at least a few people who would have benefitted from his death. However, within just a few weeks, suspicion fell to Triano’s ex-wife, Pamela, who’d taken out a life insurance policy on Gary during their marriage that would eventually pay out $2 million dollars.
Despite being confident that Pamela was involved in Gary’s death, the year-long investigation failed to turn up any conclusive evidence tying her to the murder. Undeterred, investigators continued to pursue the case across the country and eventually around the world and in 2009, more than a decade after his death, the people responsible for Gary Triano’s death were finally arrested, but many years would pass before anyone was held accountable.
Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!
References
Bodfield, Rhonda. 1996. "Broke Triano kept optimistic ." Tucson Citizen, November 9: 1.
—. 1996. "Triano threats srcutinized." Tucson Citizen, November 5: 2.
CBS News. 2017. "The Hit in Arizona [transcript]." CBS News, July 11.
Huicochea, Alexis, and Enric Volante. 2006. "'96 bomb slaying is getting a new look." Arizona Daily Star, September 7.
Innes, Stephanie. 1996. "Gambling link eyed in Triano murder." Tucson Citizen, November 4: 1.
Limberis, Chris. 2001. "Requiem for a heavyweight ." Tucson Weekly, November 1.
McNamara, Patrick. 2014. "Conflictring pictures painted of Triano murder suspect." Arizona Daily Star, February 20: A2.
—. 2014. "Ex-wife going on trial 17 years after bomb death." Arizona Daily Star, February 16: C1.
—. 2014. "Phillips gets life for fatal bombing." Arizona Daily Star, May 23: 1.
Miami Herald. 2005. "A TV 'Most Wanted' fugitive is captured." Miami Herald, November 22: 138.
Pence, Angela, John Rawlinson, and Alexa Haussler. 1996. "Black powder pipe bomb killed Triano." Arizona Daily Star, November 7.
Sate of Arizona v. Pamela Anne Phillips. 2018. 1 CA-CR 17-0285 (Arizona Court of Appeals, July 10).
Smith, Kim. 2011. "Additional mental exams for murder suspect denied." Arizona Daily Star, March 8: A2.
—. 2010. "Life, no parole for killer in Triano case." Arizona Daily Star, May 4: A2.
—. 2010. "Triano case closing arguments." Arizona Daily Star, March 27: A2.
State of Arizona v. Ronald Kelly Young. 2012. CR20084012 (Court of Appeals State of Arizona , February 29).
Teibel, David. 1996. "Blast fragments studied ." Tucson Citizen, November 1: 1.
Tucson Citizen. 1973. "Realtor seeks seat on council." Tucson Citizen, June 15: 4.
Volante, Enric. 2006. "Detective: Secret recordings link Triano ex, suspected death plot." Arizona Daily Star, September 8.
—. 1997. "Triano assassination task force disbanded." Arizona Daily Star, August 2.
Wagner, Dennis. 1996. "Bombing death puzzles police." Arizona Republic, November 10: 33.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Next Episode
Ronald Dominique: The Bayou Strangler (Part 2)
February 15, 2024
•52m
(Part 2) In the spring of 2005, law enforcement officials in southern Louisiana had a growing number of murder victims they had begun to suspect were connected to an unidentified serial killer operating in the area. The victims were all men, mostly in their twenties and thirties, many had histories of drug and alcohol abuse or were known to police as sex-workers, and all had been strangled and dumped in secondary locations.
Over the course of a decade, Ronald Dominique developed into one of the worst and most prolific serial killers in American history; yet his story and those of his victims remains largely unknown and ignored by the mainstream media.
Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Renal Podcasts for research!
References
Alford, Jeremy. 2005. New information coming soon in local murders. August 24. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2005/08/24/new-information-coming-soon-in-local-murders/27020266007/.
Armstrong, Shell. 2007. Dominique pleads not guilty to 9 murders. January 17. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatimes.com/news/dominique-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-murders/.
Associated Press. 2005. "Man found in Lafource Parish was from Houma area." Abberville Meridional, May 3: 2.
—. 2005. "Deaths od five south Lousiana men may be linked, police say." Shreveport Times, April 25: 12.
—. 1999. "La. deaths may be work of serial killer." Shreveport Times, June 23: 5B.
—. 2006. "Police look for links between serial suspect, priest's death." Shreveport Times, December 9: 22.
—. 2006. "Arrest made in serial-killer investigation." Town Talk, December 2: 17.
—. 2006. "Serial murder suspect was average Joe, says shelter residents." Town Talk, December 3: 8.
DeSantis, John. 2006. Accused lived on the fringe of two worlds. December 4. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128012212/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20061204/News/608089983/HC.
Hunter, Michelle. 2006. "Serial-killer suspect confesses; Trysts led to rapes, strangling, cops told." Times-Picatune, December 6.
L'observateur. 1999. Beaten teen’s body discovered in Kenner. October 26. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1998/10/26/beaten-teens-body-discovered-in-kenner/.
—. 1999. Two deaths reclassified as murders in St. Charles Parish. Fdebruary 6. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1999/02/06/two-deaths-reclassified-as-murders-in-st-charles-parish/.
Morris, Robert. 2006. Mother protests dead son’s link to serial killer. June 19. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131004921/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20060619/News/608089995/HC.
Ramage, James. 2005. "Serial killer theory floats around cases." Shreveport Times, May 15: 1.
Rosen, Fred. 2017. The Bayou Strangler. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
—. 2018. Uncovering the Truth Behind One of the Bayou Strangler’s Victims. April 10. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://the-line-up.com/uncovering-the-truth-behind-one-of-the-bayou-stranglers-victims.
St. Charles Heral-Guide. 2006. Mother’s tears for son killed by serial madman Dominique. 12 06. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.heraldguide.com/tragedy/mothers-tears-for-son-killed-by-serial-madman-dominique/.
The Daily Review. 2002. "Houma man's body found." Daily Review, October 17: 6.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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