Clementine Barnabet

Clementine Barnabet (1894-1985) was an American cult member and serial killer.

Known Life
Clementine Barnabet was born some time around 1894 in St. Martinville, Louisiana. After moving to Lafayette in 1909, she and her father Raymond Barnabet started the cult known as the Church of Sacrifice, which was lead by Raymond, Clementine, her brother Zepherin Barnabet and two others. The church taught that those who killed families Raymond and Clementine deemed "sinners" would gain eternal life.

In February 1911, members of the Church invaded the Byers family house in Crowley and slaughtered the family with axes. Later that month, followers of Clementine arrived at Lafayette and targeted the Andrus family. They entered the Andrus house and butchered them, including an eleven month old girl, before leaving them gruesomely arranged in the bed. More murders perpetrated by Clementine, Raymond and other members of the church followed these.

During the Churches' killing spree, the police traced one of the killings back to Raymond, who was arrested. Realising they were done for if Raymond cracked, Clementine and Zepherin testified against Raymond in court, delivering false testimonies to pin all the killings on him. With Raymond in jail, the Church was safe to continue it's killing spree, starting with the Randall family, who were mutilated and dismembered by Clementine.

With this killing in mind, police realised Raymond wasn't acting alone and investigated, discovering bloodstained pieces of clothing in the Randall house belonging to Clementine. She was found guilty, however the Church continued killing under Zepherin' s leadership. Eventually, Clementine confessed, admitting the existence of the Church, which had committed 35 murders, 17 of which Clementine admitted to personally committing. Zepherin and the other two leaders were arrested, and the Church was destroyed.

Clementine managed to get out of jail in 1923 and subsequently disappeared. Six years later, the Axeman of New Orleans murders started. As Clementine was likely to travel to New Orleans due to her voodoo past, the Axeman was never caught and both were axe murderers, many people believe that Clementine was responsible for the murders.

In 1985, a woman living in Louisiana visited her 103 year old grandmother, who told her the story of Clementine Barnabet. Soon after, the grandmother died of old age, and the woman found a photo of her grandmother when she was younger, which was a match for Clementine.