It has been 15 years since a 58-year-old Holden woman vanished from her home, stumping investigators — but the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office is hopeful new information might lead to solving part of the mystery of her disappearance.
Barbara Blount went missing around midday on Friday, May 2, 2008, disappearing from her home at 35580 Hwy 1036 in Holden, authorities said.
After the sheriff’s office was alerted that evening, authorities found no signs of forced entry; the back door was open and pots were stacked on her kitchen floor. Blount had intended to do some cleaning that day, they learned.
Various valuables were left in plain view, apparently untouched, and there was no appearance of a robbery, LPSO officials said.
Authorities said it appears as if someone lured Blount from her residence; if that was the case, it was not clear if she knew the person or persons involved.
Unfortunately, a torrential rain storm hampered search efforts over the following days, even as volunteers worked with law enforcement to cover the area.
Blount’s car was found abandoned approximately a quarter mile north of her home, parked on a hunting club road in a wooded area. The floor boards were completely flooded from the downpour.
The sheriff’s office, assisted by state police and the FBI, canvassed the entire area, including waterways and woods, and interviewed everyone with a possible connection to Blount.
In a video posted to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Facebook page, Sheriff Jason Ard said his office has never stopped working the case.
“We continue to get tips on the Barbara Blount case,” he said. “Right now, we actually have gotten some information that I feel like is going to be very good information. Of course, we have to work through it to make sure it’s credible, to make sure it’s what we need. But I have a really good feeling this is going to put another piece in the puzzle.”
He added that he doesn’t want to “get too excited” because the investigation requires patience and taking the time to determine if the new information is credible.
“We want to make sure we do everything we can to give closure to this family,” he said.
Ricky Blount, Barbara’s son, still has hope for some kind of resolution to the case.
“I haven’t given up, and am glad Jason Ard and the sheriff’s office is still working the case,” he said. “Maybe sometime in the near future we will finally get some answers we have been waiting on.”
Anyone with information on the Blount case is asked to call the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office at (225) 686-2241 x1 or Capital Region Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-STOP (7867).
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