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The murder of a loved one on Christmas day would be hard for anybody to handle. The grief of Robert Lecompte’s family and friends was compounded by the fact that it was also his birthday.
Lecompte’s murder has also sent shockwaves through Houma’s gay community. The popular manager from the Drama Club, Houma’s most prominent gay bar, was stabbed multiple times early on Christmas morning, and was found in a pool of his own blood by Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Officers.
Maj. Malcolm Wolfe, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said that no suspects in the case have been identified and detectives are working around the clock to try and solve the murder. Robbery is thought to be the motive, as $4,700 was found missing after the murder, but because of the unusually violent nature of the crime, detectives aren’t ruling out the possibility of a hate crime.
“I would believe motivation would be definitely robbery, but when you start stabbing the body multiple times, that’s a crime of passion. I’m not ruling out the fact that it could be a hate crime,” said Randall Chesnut, owner of the Drama Club and a former detective. “Whoever killed him was very angry, as far as the police are concerned.”
Lecompte is remembered as an energetic man who was finally putting his life together. He’d worked his way up from janitor to become general manager at the Drama Club and a central figure in the gay community.
“He had no enemies. The boy was loved by everyone. He wasn’t but 5-foot, 2 (inches), and soaking wet he didn’t weigh but 120 pounds,” said Chesnut. “I’ve probably just lost one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and the best employee, too.”
After what Chesnut described as a rocky life, Lecompte was finally starting to come to life through his work at the Drama Club.
“I used to say he’d make coffee nervous, he was so into what he was doing. He loved his customers. They meant the world to him,” said Chesnut. “He had just finally in his life, at 39 years old, found his little niche. And all he could’ve gone is up.”
An improvised candle light vigil was held on Chirstmas night outside of the Drama club, and Chesnut estimated that about 150 people jammed the bar’s parking lot.
“[Lecompte] was finally getting a piece of that rock, if you will,” said Chesnut. “I guess that’s why it hurts so much for all of us – the way that he died. Not just that he died, but the way he died.”
Chesnut also lauded the work of the sheriff’s office, saying, “I’m very proud of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, as far as the way they’ve been conducted themselves. They have not stopped.”
Wolfe also mentioned that his detectives had been making sacrifices to get the case solved quickly.
“There are about four different detectives on the case. They went home just for a minute or so to open up gifts with their kids and turned around and went right back to the office to continue the investigation,” said Wolfe. “They got three or four hours of sleep and then went back to solving the case.”
According to Chesnut, Lecompte did not have insurance, and his family does not have much money to pay for Robert’s burial. As a result, donations have started pouring in, and members of the community have started coming together.
“The gay community, I’m so proud of them. They’ve stepped up, and they’re pissed. They’re not scared. He has lit a fire in this community,” said Chesnut. “Most of the people in this community, they fear the law or they fear this, but it’s taken the opposite effect. There’s a determination here.”
A memorial event has been planned for this Saturday at the Drama Club. Proceeds will go to pay for Lecompte’s burial expenses. Fundraisers will also be held at the Splash bar in Baton Rouge and the Bourbon Pub in New Orleans. A public wake has been scheduled for Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Samart Funeral Home in Houma, and a private funeral has been scheduled for Thursday.
Robert LeCompte turned 39 the day he was killed
