The Murder of Allison Rice: Cross adorned with face of LSU student shot dead inside her car is STOLEN
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: In the early morning hours of September 16, a dead body of a university student was found inside a bullet-ridden car on the outskirts of downtown Baton Rouge. The body was later identified to be of 21-year-old Louisiana State University (LSU) student, Allison Rice. MEAWW reported that police said the student’s vehicle was fired at least "five or six" times. The victim’s car was found near the railroad tracks on Government Street, which is close to Eddie Robinson Drive, the Baton Rouge Police Department told WAFB. She was alone in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.
A cross that was put up by Rice's family at the site of her memorial, has now been reportedly stolen. The crucifix was beautifully embellished with the face of the slain student and was a part of the memorial. "This beautiful cross was stolen today," Rice's aunt Susie Rice Granier wrote in a Facebook post, which showed the custom-made cross.
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"She was always smiling and happy," Granier recalled while speaking to Fox News on Sunday, September 18. "I just picture her walking into her dad's house and saying, 'Hey everybody!' and hugging and kissing everyone, smiling. She was just a bubbly person… Never met a stranger."
Investigators believe that Rice was fatally shot by an unknown assailant while she attempted to make a U-turn at the tracks, although they have not yet released the motive behind the shooting. No information on a possible suspect has been released and no arrests have been made. “We can’t really fully wrap our heads around it right now,” Rice's heartbroken father told the Independent on Monday. “We don’t understand why. We can’t fathom why anybody would do this to anyone, much less, a sweet, beautiful, innocent young lady who had her whole life ahead of her, who was loved by so many.”
Louisiana State University released a statement on Rice’s death expressing sadness and asking students to help the police if they have any information on the shooting. “The LSU community is saddened to hear of senior Allison Rice being killed overnight. Her family and friends are in our thoughts, and we encourage anyone who may have more information about this crime to contact Baton Rouge Police,” it read.
Rice had attended Dutchtown High School, and the principal Matthew Monceaux also released a statement on her death, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Allison Rice, who was a 2019 graduate of Dutchtown High School. Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her. We will have counselors available to help our school community deal with this sad loss. If your child wishes to talk to a counselor, please encourage him or her to seek assistance from a teacher or counselor.”
According to her obituary, Rice will be laid to rest Wednesday, September 21, in Prairieville.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the BRPD Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.