RAPIDES PARISH, La. (KALB) - Brandon Francisco, 36 of Mansura, has entered a “guilty” plea to a charge of attempted second-degree murder one week before his trial was set to begin for the second time in Rapides Parish.

Francisco will serve 30 years in prison without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.

“This is a good, a very good resolution for the people of Rapides Parish,” said Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell. “Mr. Francisco is a very dangerous criminal. We’re excited to be able to send him to Angola for 30 years. That puts him away until past 2050. And so we’re excited that this dangerous criminal will be off the streets and in the penitentiary where he belongs.”

Francisco was charged with attempted second-degree murder for a Dec. 24, 2018, shooting near Cheneyville, which court documents state involved an alleged outstanding drug debt. His trial was supposed to being in late August, but a mistrial was declared after a legal dispute over allowing in evidence of a prior conviction of Francisco’s. The matter ended up in the Louisiana Supreme Court.

As a result of the plea, the district attorney’s office agreed to dismiss three charges for obstruction of justice, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was represented by Tiffany Sanders. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Johnny Giordano and Brian Cespiva. The case was assigned to Judge Greg Beard.

In a separate matter, Francisco remains a person-of-interest in the March 9 disappearance of Ella Goodie, 33 of Scott. Goodie was last reported to be driving a customer to Houston, Texas. Authorities in Scott believe Francisco was the last person she was in contact with before she disappeared.

“My heart goes out to all the victims that have been impacted by Mr. Francisco,” said Terrell. “You know there’s the other case that’s going on in South Louisiana. We’re going to do everything in our power, of course, we’re not handling in that case, but anything we can do to help the DAs and the state police in connection with those cases, we’re gonna offer our assistance to them. Our case is not directly related to theirs, but anything that we can do to assist them, we’re gonna offer our help to them.”

Francisco was arrested in St. Joseph, Missouri by U.S. Marshals on March 25 on a Rapides Parish warrant signed by Judge Greg Beard for failing to appear for a bond hearing that was set for March 9. The state revoked his bond. Goodie’s car was also found by police in Missouri. The case remains under investigation.

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