Overview of Erica Hunt
Erica was known for her infectious laughter and a big smile. She was a mother of a young child and was looking forward to her 21st birthday. She was a loving sister, daughter, and friend.
Erica was last seen at a family barbeque on July 3rd, 2016. Early the next day, Erica stopped by her sister and brother-in-law’s home and asked for money for cigarettes, and left. It remains unclear how she got to her sister’s home. At 12:49 pm on July 4th, Erica would post for the last time on Facebook - she made a birthday post for a friend. Witnesses would say that Erica was seen in an alley of Hirsch Road between 11 am-1 pm on July 4th.
Erica's daughter stayed with her mother the night of the family barbeque. Erica made plans to go to Lake Charles with her daughter and a friend who also had a child. Erica also had plans to get her hair done later that same day. However, Erica never showed.
By July 6th, Erica would be reported missing by friends and family. However, not many leads would surface. By September 13, 2016, local law enforcement received a tip suggesting that Erica’s remains were in a home located on Hirsch Alley. Authorities would bring in cadaver dogs, but only animal remains were discovered.
In 2018, skeletal remains were discovered during a search for a missing boy. After 3 years of the remain's DNA being in the system, the DNA Doe Project was able to match the DNA to Erica. No new information has come out since earlier this year about the identification, but the case was reclassified as a homicide instead of a missing person.
