A LaPlace woman and the hitman she hired to fatally shot her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend were both convicted of murder on Thursday by a Jefferson Parish jury in a killing that involved voodoo and an attempted frame-up.
Monica Every, 53, was found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and solicitation to commit murder in the death of Charlene Jones, according to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office.
Her accomplice and hitman, Louis Gordon, 37, was also found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon.
Every Tried to Keep Jones Away from Her Ex-Boyfriend by Framing Her for Homicide, Sprinkling Voodoo Dust on Her Vehicle, Tried to Get Him Banned from Her Apartment
As reported by NOLA, it all started when Every's former boyfriend ended his relationship with her on Christmas Day 2021 and started dating Jones. A spurned Every then started harassing the couple in a bid to get them separated.
The harassment started with making multiple phone calls to her ex-boyfriend and Jones, prompting both to change their numbers, according to the district attorney's office. Every even had Gordon, an acquaintance who did odd jobs for her, sprinkle voodoo dust on Jones' vehicle, authorities said.
And, while Jones was still alive, she had Gordon hide a gun in Jones' car and then call in a tip to Crimestoppers reporting the weapon had been used in a New Orleans homicide, according to prosecutors. Police stopped Jones and recovered the gun but later cleared it and her of any involvement in a crime.
Every also attempted to get her ex-boyfriend banned from Jones' apartment complex by faxing a copy of his criminal record to management, authorities said. She also tried to convince a friend who lived in the complex to complain about his presence there.
Every Hired Gordon to Kill Jones When All Her Other Attempts Failed, Jones was Fatally Shot as She was About to Leave for Work
A little over a month after Every's break-up, Jones, a 48-year-old grandmother of eight, was shot dead. Jones was gunned down at the Gatehouse Apartments in in Metairie on the morning of Jan. 27, 2022. She was about to leave for work and was sitting behind the wheel of her vehicle when someone shot her. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office detectives identified the shooter's getaway vehicle, a red Ford Fusion owned by a 29-year-old New Orleans woman named Deja Walls, according to authorities.
Investigators arrested Walls in connection with the shooting and identified Gordon as her boyfriend. Detectives learned Gordon had fled to Florida. As they continued investigating, they uncovered evidence of Gordon and Every's connection to the homicide.
Gordon was Paid $10K for the Hit, He Sent Every a Message That Read '$$$' After Jones was Killed
Every paid Gordon $10,000 to eliminate her competition, prosecutors alleged. Sheriff's Office detectives found cellphone communications and bank information linking the pair, the district attorney's office said.
Two cellphones tied to Gordon were present at Jones' apartment complex at the time of the murder, according to authorities. After Jones was shot, Gordon sent a text message that read "$$$" to Every, authorities said.
Detectives cleared Walls of any involvement in the murder. Authorities don't believe she was aware of the conspiracy. However, Walls was sentenced to two years of probation after she pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023 for handling some of the cash that Every paid to Gordon, the district attorney's office said.
Walls testified at trial about Gordon and Every. Gordon also took the witness stand and proclaimed his innocence, the district attorney's office said. Every and Gordon are scheduled to be sentenced on May 29. The mandatory punishment for a second-degree murder conviction is life in prison.
