Cold Cases New Season Begins With Brenda Dupont Murder, Where Is Killer Joenell Rubin Today?

In 2019, a podcast named ‘Small Town Slaying’ featured the murder story of  Brenda Dupont and titled it ‘Evidence of evil.’ It was a case that went unsolved for 28 long years until, finally, she was served with justice by the officials.

It has now been reported that ‘Cold Case files’ is back with the season and has promised many thrilling real-life murder mysteries. However, the eyes are on the probable first episode, which is going to be Joenell Rubin and Brenda Dupont.

This true-crime documentary’s third season premieres with “Killer in the Storm.” In May 1988, Brenda DuPont, a young woman, is discovered dead in her home in the heart of Cajun country. Linda, Brenda’s older sister, makes a commitment to find the killer no matter how long it takes after the initial inquiry falters and becomes unproductive.

Brenda Dupont Murder

Brenda Dupont was stabbed to death in 1988; a St. Landry Parish jury found an Opelousas man guilty of first-degree murder in her death. Her family members, who had waited decades for her attacker to be apprehended, rejoiced at the verdict.

The chief suspect in Dupont’s death, according to prosecutor Donald Richard, changed to Joenell Rubin in March 2012 after city police learned via Acadiana Crime Lab technician George Schiro that lab investigation had identified a DNA match in the Dupont cold case.

Former city police detective Dwain Grimmett stated that after being given the cold case involving Dupont in 2012, he got in touch with Schiro to offer his assistance in using DNA analysis to track down Dupont’s killer.

According to Grimmett, Rubin’s DNA was made available when he was booked into the city jail on an allegation of domestic abuse.

Where Is Joenell Rubin Today? His Jail Sentence

Joenell Rubin, was sentenced by State District Judge Alonzo Harris after her DNA was linked in 2012 to semen detected on Dupont when authorities discovered her death almost 25 years earlier.

After around three hours of discussion, the jury reached their decision. According to a poll of the jury members that Roy Richard, the defense attorney, requested, the verdict was 10-2.

Following the decision, Dupont’s family jubilated on the other side of the parish courtroom in the heart of Opelousas as Rubin was loaded into a Department of Public Safety and Corrections van.

The victim’s younger sister, Linda Nicholas, who lived next door to the crime scene 27 years prior, remarked that justice had been served.

The convicted killer is 51 years old, and he is still in prison, atoning for his crime in 2022. No details about his parole and further development in the case have been reported as of now.