Shooting victim, Breaux, mourned in Franklin

FRANKLIN — Hundreds of mourners filed into the Church of the Assumption this morning for the service celebrating the life of Mayci Breaux, 21, one of two women fatally shot Thursday at The Grand 16 movie theater in Lafayette.
Burial followed in the Franklin Cemetery. The Rev. Lloyd Benoit served as the Celebrant for the Mass and conducted the services, according to Breaux’s obituary from Ibert’s Mortuary’s website.
Breaux and Jillian Johnson, 33, were shot and killed Thursday while watching the movie “Trainwreck” at The Grand 16 movie theater in Lafayette, leaving stunned friends and family questioning how two lives off to such promising starts could end so tragically.
Police say John Russell Houser, 59, stood up about 20 minutes into the movie and began firing before taking his own life. Nine other people were wounded in the shooting.
Before Breaux’s funeral, about 20 members of the media were lined up across the street from the Church of the Assumption in Franklin. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson arrived at the church around 10:15 a.m. Monday. Law enforcement from various agencies stood in front of the church before the funeral.
Just after 11 a.m. Monday, a state police SUV escorted the hearse to its destination in front of the church. Family members followed in another SUV.
Breaux graduated from Hanson Memorial High School in Franklin in 2012. During her senior year, according to the biography, Breaux became involved in Campus Ministry and pro-life causes.
Breaux was a varsity cheerleader who was voted Most Beautiful by her senior class. She was also crowned Carnival Queen of 2012.
Hundreds of people attended the visitation for Breaux on Sunday evening. Gov. Bobby Jindal also made an appearance at the funeral home, but did not speak with media.
Anne Oestriecher, a 52-year-old cousin of Breaux, said she had been dating her boyfriend Matthew Rodriguez for years before the two went to the movie theater Thursday. Rodriguez was shot in the chest but survived.
“They were planning their life together. They were ready to get out of school and get married and start a family. And she and Matt went to the movies,” said Oestriecher, who spoke with tears on her face.
Breaux had a younger sister and older brother and “tons of cousins,” Oestriecher said, adding she would miss Breaux’s smile the most.
Breaux was in the first year of an associate’s degree program for medical radiology technicians at Louisiana State University-Eunice.
The head of the program, Robert McLaughlin, described her as a sweet, generous person who was always polite and professional.
McLaughlin met Breaux about a year ago as she began taking classes required to apply for the program. McLaughlin said Friday that Breaux’s 25 first-year classmates are grieving as they prepared to finish their first semester.
He gave the students an assignment this summer on why they chose to pursue careers as radiographers.
“She always had an interest in the medical field since being a young girl,” he said. “It’s a different way of thinking, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She had the knack — it showed in her performance this summer.”
Thea St. Germain has worked with Breaux at the Coco Eros Fashion Boutique in Lafayette for about a year. St. Germain said Breaux was excited about becoming a radiologist and her future with her boyfriend of several years.
Breaux was always cheerful, with a big smile for customers and co-workers, she said.
“Everyone at the store would remember her,” St. Germain, 24, said. “She was that kind of person to leave an impression on you.”
St. Germain said Breaux’s closeness with her family was demonstrated when she brought her mother to the store a couple of weeks ago.
“You could tell how much they loved each other and the respect (Mayci) had for her,” she said.
Breaux was the daughter of Kevin Anthony Breaux and Dondie Leblanc Breaux, according to a biography that appeared in the Franklin Banner-Tribune when she was a maid in the Krewe of Sucrose in 2013. Her father is a past duke in the same krewe.
Jillian Johnson’s funeral was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. today at Delhomme’s Funeral Home in Lafayette. Johnson was the other victim who died Thursday.
Formerly a singer in the band The Figs, Johnson was a businesswoman who designed T-shirts and ran a gift shop. She designed a logo for the Tour du Teche boat race.
Despite media reports, which began appearing Friday about the Westboro Baptist Church’s plans to protest at Breaux’s and Johnson’s funerals, Westboro members weren’t seen in the area surrounding the Church of the Assumption this morning.
KATC in Lafayette reported that Gov. Bobby Jindal planned to use existing law to keep the Westboro protests from interfering with the funerals.
Westboro is infamous for protesting the funeral of American military service members who are killed overseas.
Westboro Baptist Church posted the following tweet after Thursday’s shooting in Lafayette:
“Warming up the picket signs for #lafayettetheater shooting victims funerals. GOD SENT THE SHOOTER AGAIN.”
Jindal issued an executive order aimed at keeping protesters away from the funerals of the Lafayette shooting victims.
Jindal said state police planned to enforce existing state law that prevents protesters from interfering with funerals, burials, wakes and other memorials.
In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union said, “While the governor may have the best intentions, he would have better served both the families of the Lafayette victims and the law by simply allowing the police to enforce the existing law as written.”
In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court took up the matter of Westboro’s protests and ruled that the church had a free speech right to protest funerals, even if the action is reprehensible.
Facebook postings expressed outrage at the news of Westboro protests. Thousands used hashtags like #notinmytown and #Lafayettestrong.
According to Breaux’s obituary, those wishing to make memorial contributions in Breaux’s name, the family asks that you please consider the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, New Orleans Chapter, 1215 Prytania, Suite 371, New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-455-5194, www.cff.org/NewOrleans/.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-news.com