- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Mari Ann Fowler Disappearance (2002)
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:07 pm
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:07 pm
It was believed she was abducted in Port Allen, and was never heard from again. She was declared dead in 2004. Was DTL ever tied to this case, or were there any other possible suspects? Hard to believe after 23 years this case is still open and never has been solved.
10
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:35 pm to Crappieman
I thought it was pretty much a given he's the murderer.
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:40 pm to Crappieman
if I remember correctly I’m pretty sure investigators had a grainy video that appeared to show his truck at the truckstop and cell phone records placed him in the area around the time that they believe she disappeared
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:42 pm to Crappieman
I’m a friend of her daughter, DTL did it
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:49 pm to Crappieman
Posted on 6/25/25 at 5:55 pm to papasmurf1269
quote:
if I remember correctly I’m pretty sure investigators had a grainy video that appeared to show his truck at the truckstop and cell phone records placed him in the area around the time that they believe she disappeared
Same way I recall it. Pretty much a foregone conclusion DTL did it; he just never copped to it and there wasn’t enough evidence to bring charges.
Posted on 6/25/25 at 6:10 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
Holy shite, look at how many people are missing just from Louisiana alone. LINK
Really makes you wonder how many killers are walking among us and never get caught.
Really makes you wonder how many killers are walking among us and never get caught.
Posted on 6/25/25 at 7:08 pm to Boston911
quote:
I’m a friend of her daughter, DTL did it
It wasn’t his usual MO nor age, right?
I remember reading that she looked like the mother of one of his victims who was very active on speaking out about the murder.
There was speculation that he may have mistaken Mari Ann for the mother.
Her kidnapping and apparent murder by him seemed odd, but he was confirmed to have been in the area at that time. I wonder if he’d followed her or it was a crime of opportunity.
Posted on 6/25/25 at 7:13 pm to Crappieman
She was grabbed at a strip mall on 415. I think there is a donut shop there. I think about that every time I drive past it.
Posted on 6/25/25 at 7:32 pm to Slippy
She’d gone in Subway there.
Posted on 6/25/25 at 7:41 pm to HarryBalzack
quote:
oly shite, look at how many people are missing just from Louisiana alone. LINK
Not a one is overweight until 1999
Posted on 6/25/25 at 7:50 pm to FortyYardSlice
Who is behind the Butler assassin attempt of Trump?
Posted on 6/25/25 at 7:53 pm to Crappieman
Derrick Todd Lee and Mari Ann Fowler threads the same day. Crazy. I remember when people thought she may have been one of his victims
This post was edited on 6/25/25 at 7:56 pm
Posted on 6/25/25 at 8:08 pm to Crappieman
This is what ChatGPT gave me on this.
quote:
Derrick Todd Lee, known as the “Baton Rouge Serial Killer,” was never charged with the disappearance or presumed murder of Mari Ann Fowler (also spelled Mari Ann or Mari Ann), though law enforcement considered him a significant suspect.
?????? Case Overview
Mari Ann Fowler, 65, was last seen on Christmas Eve (December 24, 2002) at a Subway strip-mall in Port Allen, LA. She disappeared, her belongings were strewn nearby, and no signs of robbery were found
murderpedia.org
+10
charleyproject.org
+10
lastseenalivepodcast.com
+10
.
Investigators suspected Lee due to several indicators:
He frequently targeted women in that region at the time.
He owned a pickup truck similar to surveillance footage of the abduction vehicle.
Cell-phone records placed him in the area the evening of the abduction
charleyproject.org
+1
lastseenalivepodcast.com
+1
lastseenalivepodcast.com
+1
criminalminds.fandom.com
+1
.
However, no DNA evidence connected him to Fowler’s disappearance, and no charges were filed .
What We Know About Lee
Between 1998 and 2003, Lee was definitively linked via DNA to at least seven murders in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas
criminalminds.fandom.com
+4
en.wikipedia.org
+4
investigationdiscovery.com
+4
.
He was convicted for the murders of Geralyn DeSoto (sentenced to life) and Charlotte Murray Pace (sentenced to death)
monstropedia.org
+5
murderpedia.org
+5
en.wikipedia.org
+5
.
Lee died in prison in 2016 of heart disease, still on death row
investigationdiscovery.com
+2
en.wikipedia.org
+2
criminalminds.fandom.com
+2
.
Conclusion
No, Derek Todd Lee did not murder Mari Ann Fowler in the legal sense—he was never charged or convicted in her disappearance.
He remains a strong suspect—due to geographic proximity, behavioral patterns, and similar vehicle evidence—but:
No forensic proof links him to her case.
Her body has never been found, and the case remains unsolved
trailwentcold.com
.
Summary: Mari Ann Fowler’s disappearance is officially unsolved. While many investigators believe Lee may have been responsible, the lack of direct evidence or charges means her case remains open to this day.
Posted on 6/26/25 at 10:34 am to OweO
Such a sad situation for her family.
Posted on 6/26/25 at 11:11 am to Gris Gris
I worked very closely with Ms. Mari Ann when I was a student worker at the Department of Education. She was kind, loved her family, especially her granddaughter, and was good as gold. I was shocked when I heard about her disappearance a few years after I got a “real job”. I always heard she was likely one of DTL’s victims.
Posted on 6/26/25 at 11:19 am to Crappieman
quote:
It was believed she was abducted in Port Allen, and was never heard from again
it wasn't believed, its what actually happened. She got abducted coming out of the Subway on 415.
Posted on 6/26/25 at 11:24 am to Gris Gris
quote:
Such a sad situation for her family.
Yeah, I remember.. I think her son was an advocate for her .
Also, there was something with her husband and I remember people saying she might have staged it to go live with him on some island? Of course thats the rumor mill, but it was a sad situation.
Posted on 6/26/25 at 11:31 am to OweO
quote:
Also, there was something with her husband and I remember people saying she might have staged it to go live with him on some island? Of course thats the rumor mill, but it was a sad situation.
Her husband was in prison at the time, so I don't think he was going anywhere. Is he still alive?
Posted on 6/26/25 at 11:36 am to Gris Gris
Her husband, Jerry Fowler, was in Federal Prison in Texas at the time and I’m pretty sure Ms. Mari Ann was on her way to visit him when she disappeared. He died years ago. He was the Commissioner of Elections at one time. I met him a few times and he seemed really nice. He also played for the Washington Redskins back in the day.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News