We have more details about Demisha Armbruster (April 27, 1965 – June 18, 1988) thanks to police. The authorities have given me permission to use five quotes and this photograph of Demisha Armbruster.
1: “The location at which her vehicle was recovered, and which is presumed to be the location at which she was abducted, is I-55 north bound Exit 7, also known as the Ruddock exit, in St. John Parish. Her body was found in St. James Parish.” The evidence indicates that she was killed where she was found.
2: “A witness later reported seeing a vehicle with a “blue police light” on the dash parked behind Armbruster’s vehicle at the location.”
3: “Overall, there is nothing evident in the victim’s lifestyle that would increase her risk of becoming a victim of a violent crime. She was a victim of opportunity. She crossed the path of an offender who was searching for a victim and tragically became that victim.”
4: “The cause of death was found to be exsanguination resulting from the two neck and stomach wounds.”
5: “Erythematous ligature marks on both forearms immediately above the wrists are noted as well two bruises measuring one inch each at the midline of the lumbar area. These marks are consistent with the victim being handcuffed behind her back and having the handcuffs forced into the small of her back.”
From the above, I see a murderer with an organized and methodical mind. If Demisha saw a blue light behind her in her rear-view mirror, she probably thought that she was being pulled over by police for a traffic violation. In the dark, she may not have been able to see all the details in either the cruiser or the law enforcement uniform from the man approaching her car. If this had happened in broad daylight she might have been able to see differences.
The offender came ready with a clear plan how to get a victim in his control and how to keep his victim under control.
He knew how to pose as an officer of the law and how to convincingly behave as one. These are two different things.
- Posing as an officer means getting a car of the right model and make that is generally used by the authorities as either patrol or unmarked car. To complete his pose he got a removable police light, several decals, and uniform or clothing similar to an officer’s uniform.
- The right behavior however, includes the right body language, being at ease in a uniform, the right way of speaking, etc. As part of this, I think it is safe to say that he was well-kept, groomed, and calm.
Aside from the above five quotes and the head shot made available to me by police, I have not been able to find anything else in the public domain about Demisha.
Case summary: On June 18, 1988, Demisha Armbruster (23) was abducted and murdered. She was not robbed of any possessions nor was she sexually molested. Coming year will be the 28 anniversary of her murder. Let’s make sure that we do not forget her.
Should you have any memories about Demisha from school or from work, consider leaving me a note so we can update her case here.
If you have any information that can help the authorities, please contact
- The St. James Sheriff’s Office at (225) 562-2200. Demisha Armbruster’s file number there is 06-243-88.
- The Louisiana State Police at (225) 925-6006. Demisha’s case number in their Incident Reporting System (IRS) is 12-6055.