One of the most horrific cases of marital conflict that ultimately resulted in a wife murdering her husband occurred in North Carolina in July 2010. Lateisha Jandreau might even have removed the body and gotten away with it if not for a group loyal of the husband’s friends. In “Killer Bods: Blood, Sweat, and Tears” on Investigation Discovery, the murder is closely examined and the audience is given a detailed chronological explanation. We’ve got your back if you’re already interested in the case and want to know everything there is to know about it, including who the perpetrator is and where he is right now. So let’s get started.
How did Paul Jandreau die?
Paul Steven Jandreau, 51, was a retired Navy master chief who worked for the Norfolk, Virginia-based defense contractor BAE Systems. He had a tight-knit network of friends who would later be instrumental in helping to solve his death. Paul was “an up-and-coming guy with a group of very close friends,” according to the victim’s brother, Mike Jandreau. His friends told him that Paul had met Lateisha Jandreau, 38, at a kickboxing class, where the pair first met. A skilled athlete, Lateisha even won the National Sports Federation of America North Carolina bodybuilding championship in June 2010. Their wedding day was June 28, 2003. Don Roof, who worked with Paul for three years, she remembers him as “a great guy who really cared about his friends.”
Paul was always on time, so when he didn’t show up for work on June 30, 2010, or even return his calls, his friends were understandably concerned. They placed a call to the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Lisa Starcher proceeded to check on Paul at his home at 100 Armstead Court. At 7:44 am he arrived home but was unable to communicate with Lateisha. The truck that Paul had in 2005 was parked in the driveway. After being contacted by her employer, Lateisha returned around 8:30 am to let Starcher search the house. The house’s windows, which had previously been exposed, were now covered with “a blue tarp, foil or frosting” when she returned later that day.
On July 1, 2010, Starcher and another officer went to the house one more time around 11:40 am. They discovered Paul’s vehicle loaded with furniture and Lateisha, who was clearly upset and furious. She told officers that her last communication with Paul was June 29, 2010. According to her, she and Paul led different lives. On July 2, 2010, at around 5:30 pm, Starcher met with Lateisha again as per previous arrangements, but was unable to locate her at her home. The 911 operator was able to determine that Lateisha was at her home when she called 911 to report that she had been in Chesapeake, Virginia.
After determining that there was some wrongdoing, the officers returned on June 3, 2010, shortly after midnight, with a search warrant. They broke down the garage door to get in, where they discovered Lateisha hiding in the back of a closet under some clothes and blankets. Officers conducted an extensive search of the home before discovering Paul’s body inside a sizable bag. Five times, once in the abdomen, chest, thigh, neck, and hand, he was shot with a .45 caliber pistol. In addition, he had approximately 12 head injuries that were “consistent with being struck with a hard, blunt instrument such as a pistol.” Beneath a pile of garbage in the garage, the body was placed in a container and wrapped in plastic, secured with duct tape.
Who killed Paul Jandreau?
Paul’s co-workers, neighbors and attorney gave statements to police indicating that both Paul and Lateisha had discussed Paul wanting a divorce. Paul allegedly told the attorney and one of his co-workers about a time he woke up to find Lateisha creeping into her room. He admitted to her lawyer that after that, she always kept her bedroom door closed. Mike, another family member, said that Paul had told him about his family problems and his wife’s infidelity. Their previous meeting took place in February during the Daytona 500 stock car race. He had been broaching the subject of divorce for weeks, Mike recalled. He claimed to have plenty of proof that she was cheating on him. He claimed that all he needed to do to regain control of her life was to get her out of her house.
At Jandreau’s home, officers found a variety of cleaning products and noted that the hardwood floor in the master bedroom appeared to have been recently scrubbed. The bedroom walls had bullet holes that had been sealed with caulking, and the carpet was stained with blood. Along with other items from the kitchen, including duct tape, putty and plastic wrap, officers also removed spent rounds from the scene. A .45 caliber pistol was discovered hidden in a small black bag after searching the two cars in the driveway. The gun’s magazine was empty, but there were two other magazines that had live bullets. The driveway also turned up a receipt from Lowe’s dated July 1, 2010, for a hefty purse.
Where is Lateisha Jandreau today?
First degree murder and theft of a firearm were the charges filed against Lateisha. On September 24, 2012, the case was tried in the Currituck County Superior Court Criminal Session. Paul allegedly threatened Lateisha with a gun, according to his claims that he was quite violent. Although Lateisha admitted lying to officers about her husband’s location while maintaining her innocence, she maintained that she shot Paul in self-defense. However, after nearly two hours of deliberation, the jury returned with a guilty decision. Judge Jerry R. Tillett sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of release on September 28, 2012, following her conviction. She filed an appeal with the North Carolina Court of Appeals, but the decision was upheld. She is currently being held at the Anson Correctional Institution in Polkton, North Carolina, according to government documents.
