Village 337 helps in search for missing Scott woman
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – A Lafayette civil rights group is getting involved in the search for a missing Scott woman.
32-year-old Ella Goodie, a contact driver, was last seen on March 9 driving a passenger to Houston. Scott police say her vehicle was spotted coming back into Louisiana 12 hours later. She did not make contact with her family, however, and police say her car was seen just north of Dallas, Texas, the very next day. This week Scott police identified a person of interest in their investigation into her disappearance.
The Village 337 is now helping out in the search for Ella Goodie.
"The reason for our name, The Village 337, is because as the old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. It certainly takes a village to search for a missing woman," President and Director of The Village 337 Devon Norman said.
Norman says it happens too often in America that women of color go missing, and nothing is done.
"Quite frankly, we need the entire community of Lafayette to unite despite political differences, despite whatever may keep us separated in this time to make sure she is found," he added.
As Ella Goodie's family continues their search and the FBI helps Scott police with their investigation, Norman says they still need the community's help.
He says their focus right now is finding the person of interest in Goodie's case, Brandon Francisco. He was the last one seen with Goodie.
"This is the time for us to come together. The more of us that are united, the less of a reason there is to fear of any type of retaliation or anything like that if you were to say something," Norman said. He says although Goodie has been missing for over a week now, they're not giving up hope that she's still out there.
"We are hoping that she will be found alive, and we do believe that again, if the community unites in a quite enough manner and in a fashionable manner, we can come together and actually effectively organize then we can find her," he said.
If you have any information regarding Ella Goodie's disappearance, contact Scott police.