AJ Breaux

[rerungirl]

I always thought this was one of the most heartbreaking cases they ever showed on Unsolved Mysteries. A well liked middle aged business man disappears one night but is later spotted in the area riding in the back seat of a car. That same day he is seen using a pay phone outside a convenience store. Witnesses say he appeared nervous and dishelved. His car is found but doesn't yield any clues. Several weeks later, he is seen going door to door trying to sell frozen fish. One of the homeowners he talked to said he seemed desperate and smelled of alcohol. Years earlier, AJ Breaux had beaten an alcohol problem and was (until his disappearance) very active in A.A. Meanwhile, his daughters are frantic to find him but police can't find a reason for his disappearance. They suspected some kind of foul play was involved. Was there ever an update on this case?

[CrushedVelvet]

I remember that one too. That was strange, his poor family must be boggeled as to what REALLY happened. I have yet to see an update on that case. Where did it happen, do you remember??

[rerungirl]

I think it happened in a small town in Louisiana. Funny how some of these cases just stay with you over the years.

[DP]

This case was solved and updated a number of years ago. AJ was found alive two years after his disappeared but with a loss of memory. His friends called into Unsolved Mysteries for him. What happend was AJ was mugged and suffered severe amnesia. He was eventually given help but he continued to suffer from amnesia.

He and his wife were reunited (parts of which were shown) but he did not remember her. As a result, the two both decided to get a divorce. But it seemed they were on good terms. Sorry for the description being a little vague but I last saw this update many years ago.

But I can definitely tell you that AJ was found alive, which is rare for these kind of cases. As said, he was reunited with his wife but he could not remember her and they later divorced.

[rerungirl]

Thanks, DP, but I remember the story you wrote about and it was not the AJ Breaux case. Breaux was divorced with grown daughters. After his mysterious disappearance he was spotted going door to door selling frozen fish. In the case you referred to, the man was recently married and he and his wife raised fish to sell to upscale restaurants.

[Kane]

Originally posted by DP
This case was solved and updated a number of years ago. AJ was found alive two years after his disappeared but with a loss of memory. His friends called into Unsolved Mysteries for him. What happend was AJ was mugged and suffered severe amnesia. He was eventually given help but he continued to suffer from amnesia.

He and his wife were reunited (parts of which were shown) but he did not remember her. As a result, the two both decided to get a divorce. But it seemed they were on good terms. Sorry for the description being a little vague but I last saw this update many years ago.

But I can definitely tell you that AJ was found alive, which is rare for these kind of cases. As said, he was reunited with his wife but he could not remember her and they later divorced.

I'm sorry to say that the update you described was from a different missing person case. The man you are thinking of was a Wisconsin man whose name (if I remember correctly) was Craig. He and his wife operated a farm.

A.J. Breaux (if that's his correct spelling) was a Louisiana man who was a recovering alcoholic at the time of his 1991 disappearance. The police received note claiming that he got drunk, shot himself, and had his body dumped in a river. The letter is thought to be a mean-spirited prank. In addition, a man believed to have been A.J. was seen in a local park being put into a car by three men.

There has been no update on that case. Therefore, my assumption is that A.J. remains unaccounted for.

[kadrmas15]

Yes, Adam John Breaux aka A.J. is still missing. His family had him declared legally dead in 1998 so they could settle his estate. This was a strange and sad case. From the sounds of it during the segment A.J. had a serious drinking problem for many years but hadnt drank for 8 years before his disappearence and had in fact been quite active in helping other alcoholics and was known as a leader of a local organization for recovering alcoholics. Also from the sounds of it A.J. was a well known and well liked businessman in the town of Houma, Louisiana. What happened to him is not real clear. It isnt clear if he was kidnapped. It appears robbery wasnt a motive. I think the sightings of him were genuine of him being seen at the convienence store on the phone and also the sighting of him smelling of alcohol and going door to door selling frozen fish. It isnt clear if he was kidnapped or if he was hit in the head and cant remember who he is or if he had a relapse and started drinking again and was ashamed of this and decided not to go back to his family. It is so strange. Dont really know what to think of it.

[huntincutie92]

A.J. Breaux's case was not solved; he was not found alive nor dead. I wish the post about him being found alive was true, but it's not. It's his birthday today; he would be 66. I think I would know if he was found. I'm his great niece.

[crystaldawn]

Originally Posted by huntincutie92

A.J. Breaux's case was not solved; he was not found alive nor dead. I wish the post about him being found alive was true, but it's not. It's his birthday today; he would be 66. I think I would know if he was found. I'm his great niece.

I'm so glad to see someone from AJ Breaux's family is posting on here. I am sorry to hear he's never been found. I lived in Houma for a short time in the mid 90's so I've always remembered this segment very well. Can you tell us any other info that UM didn't share? Like for instance does the family have any theories on what happened to him? Do they think he was abducted or started drinking again and harmed himself? Were there any other credible sightings of him that UM didn't mention? UM made the sightings seem to be pretty credible in my opinion. Any more info you'd like to share with us about AJ and the segment would be appreciated. Of course all of us send our thoughts to your family and definitely hope he can be found!

[kadrmas15]

Well something that I wonder about AJ is whether or not he could have been a victim of that serial killer that was arrested late last year? I believe that killer had killed many men in the Houma, Louisiana area. I certainly hope AJ was not one of them.

[huntincutie92]

Thank you all very much for your support. My grandmother (his sister) thought that he was abducted and he did not make it. He would have at least tried to contact his children even if it was through the witness protection program. Also, I believe that he herd something somebody didn't want him to hear in the AA meatings he attended and abducted him or killed him. (This is just what my grandmother and I believe.) I don't know if any of the sightings are credible. I only herd about them online, my family has never talked about them. The serial killer from Houma was questioned about A.J., but he denied it. I do not think the serial killer was not involved because he admitted to 23 other murders. I think if he did it, the serial killer would have confessed to it.

[Zlatko]

After watching the case, two theories popped up in my head. The first one is that AJ could have been in debt to drug dealers. Besides alcohol, drugs could have been another problem for AJ. The other theory is that he committed suicide; his struggles in life could have finally overwhelmed him. I'm leaning towards the first theory.

[Apostapler]

Originally Posted by Zlatko

After watching the case, two theories popped up in my head. The first one is that AJ could have been in debt to drug dealers. Besides alcohol, drugs could have been another problem for AJ. The other theory is that he committed suicide; his struggles in life could have finally overwhelmed him. I'm leaning towards the first theory.

While it is always a possibility that recovering alcoholics can relapse, and substitute for their drug of choice, one would have to look into the financial resources available to AJ. If he had started selling things or his bank account were drained, this would be a possibility. For all intents and purposes, this has not been shown to be the case. I cannot agree that this theory is a possibility.

Suicide is always a possibility. Even if there are no signs to indicate a change in behavior. It's just a sad reality that people commit suicide who you would never suspect of doing so. Parking his car in a public place and leaving it may indicate that he wanted to disappear, so that his family would not have to deal with finding a body.

However, neither of these theories explain his sightings after his disappearance, and I believe the sighting at the gas station to be credible. The guy knew AJ since he was a kid.

An idea just popped into my head that perhaps AJ was working on an intervention for someone. Helping someone get sober/detox. If you're staying up with someone to make sure they're safe, you would look tired, disheveled, as he did when he was sighted at the gas station. Perhaps they were taking this person to rehab when the other person saw him in the car with the men. Perhaps it was AJ himself trying to get clean again. But that doesn't explain why he disappeared.

[Zlatko]

Originally Posted by Apostapler

While it is always a possibility that recovering alcoholics can relapse, and substitute for their drug of choice, one would have to look into the financial resources available to AJ. If he had started selling things or his bank account were drained, this would be a possibility. For all intents and purposes, this has not been shown to be the case. I cannot agree that this theory is a possibility.

Suicide is always a possibility. Even if there are no signs to indicate a change in behavior. It's just a sad reality that people commit suicide who you would never suspect of doing so. Parking his car in a public place and leaving it may indicate that he wanted to disappear, so that his family would not have to deal with finding a body.

However, neither of these theories explain his sightings after his disappearance, and I believe the sighting at the gas station to be credible. The guy knew AJ since he was a kid.

An idea just popped into my head that perhaps AJ was working on an intervention for someone. Helping someone get sober/detox. If you're staying up with someone to make sure they're safe, you would look tired, disheveled, as he did when he was sighted at the gas station. Perhaps they were taking this person to rehab when the other person saw him in the car with the men. Perhaps it was AJ himself trying to get clean again. But that doesn't explain why he disappeared.

An intervention seems very unlikely. If he was trying to sober himself up, or help someone else, why wouldn't he tell his family? He seemed very up front about his alcohol problems. So, I doubt he would hide such a problem.

What we should really focus is the three men in car with AJ. I get the feeling that they were bad individuals. Why didn't AJ wave to his friend? Perhaps AJ was too afraid to wave back at his friend. It didn't sound like he was in a comfortable situation. Plus, they were the last people seen with AJ.

[Mastermind]

An intervention seems very unlikely. If he was trying to sober himself up, or help someone else, why wouldn't he tell his family? He seemed very up front about his alcohol problems. So, I doubt he would hide such a problem.

I think there would be some witnesses to to AJ's intervention attempts. Usually it's the family or loved ones that ask someone to intervene.

Need to think on this one a bit....be right back. .