This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:12:43
The video delves into the investigation of a series of murders primarily targeting Black women and girls in New Orleans, involving two main suspects: Russell Elwood and Victor Gantt. Russell Elwood, identified through suspicious activities and frequenting crime scenes, was implicated after calling into the Howard Stern Show under the alias "Clay" and making incriminating statements. Victor Gantt, a former New Orleans police officer with a corrupt background, was also a significant suspect due to his abusive history and proximity to victims. Various task forces involving local police and the FBI were formed to tackle these cases, but progress was hampered by decomposed evidence and other complications. While Elwood was eventually convicted of Cheryl Lewis's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, most of the cases, including those potentially attributed to the "Storyville Slayer," remain unresolved as of November 2021.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, a man claiming to have killed prostitutes calls into the Howard Stern Show, referring to himself as “Clay.” As the conversation shifts from comedic to serious, it becomes evident that he is a serial killer. The next day, the FBI contacts the show, believing the caller may be the “Storyville Slayer,” potentially identifying him as Russell Elwood. Russell, a drug addict with a transient lifestyle, became a suspect after being found in suspicious circumstances near where victims’ bodies were discovered. The police linked his presence to unsolved cases dating back to 1991.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, it details the investigation into a series of murders targeting mainly Black girls and women aged 17 to 42. Due to victims being left in water for long periods, evidence was often significantly decomposed, complicating the search for the perpetrator. The police initially questioned Russell but released him due to a lack of evidence.
In 1995, to advance the investigation, a task force comprising the New Orleans Police Department, surrounding parishes, and the FBI was formed and identified two suspects. One of the suspects, Victor Gantt, was a New Orleans police officer with a reputation for corruption and connections to illegal operations involving pimps and prostitutes.
Victor Gantt’s involvement deepened when his roommate, Sharon Robinson, accused him of beating her, a claim supported by witnesses and medical testimony. Another woman had also matched Victor’s description as someone who had attempted to strangle her in 1991. Despite these accusations, a disciplinary hearing for Victor was scheduled in early 1995. Sharon Robinson, the key witness, was found dead in a swampy area near I-55 just four months after reporting Victor’s abuse, alongside another victim, Karen Ivister.
00:06:00
In this segment, the focus is on the investigation into a suspect named Russell in connection with multiple murders. Investigators initially suspected another man, Victor, who was dismissed from the police force after inconclusive DNA tests. They then questioned Russell, who admitted to frequenting areas where bodies were found and spoke about a dream involving him being questioned by a serial killer task force. Russell was arrested and, while in jail, made incriminating statements during a fight and to other inmates, suggesting he was involved in multiple murders. Despite these statements, concrete evidence was lacking. After his release, one of his former cellmates detailed Russell’s method of luring victims with drugs and subsequently strangling them. This new information led investigators to re-interview Russell, who initially denied but later admitted to making some of these statements.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, Russell is embroiled in serious legal troubles. He initially boasted about killing a black girl and dumping her in a canal but later attributed his claims to a mental illness, demanding to see his attorney and receive treatment, which was denied. Despite his confessions during interrogations, he refused to be taped and denied making them shortly after, leading to his release due to insufficient evidence. In January of the following year, he was arrested for speeding and later for contempt of court, ultimately serving 120 days in jail. There, he was charged with the murders of Cheryl Lewis and Dolores Matt. At his trial on June 8, 1999, cellmates and former prostitutes testified against him, recounting his violent assaults and confessions of the killings. While Russell’s polygraph test request on task force head Sue Rushing returned inconclusive results, he was acquitted of Dolores Mack’s murder due to lack of evidence but was found guilty of killing Cheryl Lewis and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, it’s revealed that as of November 2021, the murders, except for Cheryl Lewis’s, remain unsolved. Though Russell Elwood was convicted and suspected, insufficient evidence linked him to the other cases. Victor, another suspect, moved from New Orleans to Atlanta, Georgia, after leaving law enforcement. The Storyville Slayer is suspected of taking at least 24 lives, likely more, leaving many cases frustratingly unresolved.