Where was Dorothy Lou Thompson’s body found? The documented answer is the east bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, where fishermen discovered her on May 2, 1985. Although the case is associated with the Azalea Original Pet Cemetery in St. Bernard Parish, the recovery site was in a different parish. Public reporting does not establish a reliable, precise GPS coordinate for the exact spot, so this article distinguishes the confirmed location from speculation.
Where was Dorothy Thompson’s body found?
Contemporary reporting and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office say fishermen found Thompson’s body on May 2, 1985, in the Mississippi River on the east bank in Plaquemines Parish. WDSU and FOX 8 both identify Plaquemines Parish as the recovery location. The authorities’ account says she had been missing since mid-April.
Important distinction: the pet cemetery was in the Toca area of eastern St. Bernard Parish; the body was recovered in Plaquemines Parish. They are related places in the investigation, not the same location. The public reports reviewed for this article do not provide an authenticated set of coordinates for the exact recovery point. We therefore do not publish a guessed map pin or claim a specific river access point.
Sources: FOX 8 — 2014 sentencing report and WDSU — 2012 arrest report.
What was found with her?
Reports from the sheriff’s office and local news say Thompson’s body was found weighted with heavy chains. A plastic bag and wire were also reported around her head or neck. The coroner determined the cause of death was asphyxia. These details are drawn from published reporting and official case summaries; this article does not reproduce graphic imagery.
The recovery site mattered to investigators because it was not immediately clear whether Thompson had been killed at the cemetery property in St. Bernard Parish or somewhere else. The sheriff’s office later said investigators believed she had been killed at the property and her body moved to the river. That is the investigators’ account of the crime, not a claim that the precise dump point has been publicly mapped.
Why the case took so long to move forward
Nodier had worked as a handyman and groundskeeper for Thompson and her mother, and investigators said a property dispute was part of the suspected motive. Authorities considered him a suspect early on but said they lacked sufficient evidence to arrest and indict him until a witness came forward. In April 2012, Nodier was arrested and indicted on a second-degree murder charge. In July 2014, he pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years.
That outcome should be described accurately: Nodier’s conviction was for manslaughter under a plea agreement, not a trial verdict for second-degree murder. The official sheriff’s release and contemporary reporting explain the plea and sentence.
Read the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office release and WDSU’s 2014 sentencing coverage.
The cemetery and the river are two different locations
The Azalea Original Pet Cemetery was located in the Toca community in eastern St. Bernard Parish. Historical photographs and accounts document the cemetery grounds, but they do not establish the exact river recovery point. Readers looking for the history of the property can consult the cemetery history below; it should not be treated as a locator for the body’s discovery site.
Official case update
The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office has shared case-related information on its official Facebook page. The post below is included as a primary-source reference; it is not a geotagged record of the exact recovery location. Facebook may ask readers to sign in or allow cookies.
Open the original St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
Watch the official documentary trailer
Frequently asked questions
Was Dorothy Thompson found at the pet cemetery?
No. Public reporting says her body was found in the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish. Investigators said they believed she was killed at the cemetery property and moved to the river.
Can I visit the exact spot?
The sources cited here do not establish a reliable exact GPS location or public access point. The Mississippi River’s banks and access areas can be dangerous or restricted; do not enter private property or attempt to reach an unverified location.
Who was convicted in the case?
Brandon Nodier pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2014 and received a 10-year prison sentence under a plea agreement.
Sources and further reading
- FOX 8: Man sentenced in 1985 murder case (July 11, 2014)
- WDSU: St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office makes arrest (April 2012)
- St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office: plea and sentencing release
- Autopsy of Architecture: Azalea Original Pet Cemetery history and archival photographs
- WDSU: 2014 sentencing coverage
Editorial note: This article relies on public news reports and official case information. It does not claim that an exact riverbank coordinate is publicly verified, and it avoids presenting a guessed location as fact.
