Brandon Lavergne’s Pastor: ‘Our Hearts Go Out To The Shunick Family’

With Brandon Scott Lavergne's appearance before a Lafayette Parish Grand Jury fast approaching on July 18th, more information is coming out about him - this time from the pastor of the church he was a part of.

The pastor of Northside Assembly of God in Crowley, Loyd Singley, says Lavergne was introduced to his church through their prison rehabilitation ministries program. Singley says he hadn't seen Lavergne in awhile until Lavergne started showing up again less than a month after Mickey Shunick went missing. Singley says this is a tragic situation for everyone involved.

We're concerned like everyone else with the gravity of this case. Our hearts go out to the Shunick family. You know, it's obviously distressing for anyone in a church to discover that you have been attending church with someone who has committed a major crime.

Singley says the men who ministered Lavergne in prison are taking it the hardest.

In the words of one, (he) was sick when he heard about it, could not believe it. Just our casual knowledge of him, you know, the times he visited, you know, he never gave any appearance or evidence that he was capable of anything like he's accused of.

Lavergne faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping in the disappearance of Mickey Shunick. He has opted for a public defense.