For more than twenty years, Reginald Reed Jr., known as Reggie, has been haunted by the mysterious death of his mother, Selonia Reed. At the tender age of six, he lost her, an event marked by a poignant memory of her buying him a chocolate chip cookie at the Hammond Square Mall in Hammond, Louisiana. That day, Selonia, a bank teller, was brutally murdered, her body discovered inside her car in August 1987. She was just 26 years old.
Authorities found Selonia’s body in a parking area, located about a mile and a half from the Reed family home. The horrific circumstances revealed she had been violently assaulted and left nude, having been bludgeoned, stabbed multiple times, and sexually assaulted. Her husband, Reginald Reed Sr., reported her missing shortly before the discovery.
The case quickly drew attention, with police considering Reginald Sr. as an early suspect due to whispers of domestic abuse and divorce talks from Selonia to her family. Despite these suspicions, none of this was shared with young Reggie, who was present during his father’s police interview. Video footage from that time shows a distraught child, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, providing an alibi for his father, claiming they spent the evening together playing video games.
Reggie, now grown, has revisited those tapes with a heavy heart, reliving the trauma of his childhood. In his memoir, “The Day My Mother Never Came Home,” he recounts the pain and confusion that linger to this day. It was not until 2012, when a Texas Ranger approached him, that Reggie learned his father was the prime suspect in his mother’s murder.
Years later, new evidence surfaced under the investigation led by Lt. Barry Ward of the Louisiana State Police. This led to Reginald Sr.’s indictment for second-degree murder, with the testimony of alleged accomplice Jimmy Ray Barnes sealing his fate. In November 2022, Reginald Sr. was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Despite the verdict, Reggie grapples with conflicting emotions about his father’s guilt. He acknowledges his father’s role in his upbringing, describing him as a loving parent who provided for his education and well-being. However, the state’s portrayal of his father as a criminal contrasts starkly with the man he knew.
The Human Angle
The tragic narrative of Selonia Reed’s murder and the subsequent unraveling of hidden truths offers a profound insight into the complexities of familial relationships and justice. For communities, this case underscores the enduring impact of unresolved crimes and the importance of uncovering the truth, regardless of how long it takes.
For individuals like Reggie, the journey of discovering one’s past can be fraught with emotional turmoil, as it challenges lifelong perceptions of loved ones. It is a reminder of the dual nature of justice: while it seeks to rectify wrongs, it can also fracture personal bonds. The case of Selonia Reed exemplifies the personal cost of seeking justice and the resilience required to navigate life-altering revelations.