Notes:

Murder of Mark Steven Bass - October 16, 1984

Venson Dean Vampran and Susan Bass were charged by a single grand jury indictment with the second degree murder of Mark Steven Bass in violation of La.R.S. 14:30.1. The trial court, on motion of both defendants, ordered severance of the indictment. Defendant, after pleading not guilty, was tried before a jury and found guilty as charged. The trial court sentenced defendant to a term of life imprisonment without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

Defendant brings this appeal urging twenty-six assignments of error. Assignments of error numbers six, ten, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, eighteen, twenty, twentyfour and twenty-five were not briefed and, therefore, are considered abandoned. Uniform Rules, Court of Appeal, Rule 2-12.4; State v. Trevathan, 432 So.2d 355 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983), writ denied, 437 So.2d 1141 (La.1983).

FACTS:

Shortly after midnight on October 17, 1984, a pickup truck driven by Venson Dean Vampran was stopped in Madisonville, Louisiana, by Corporal John Dillon of the St.Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. Corporal Dillon testified that he pursued defendant's vehicle because of broken taillights and the erratic and evasive manner in which the vehicle was operated. After initially approaching Corporal Dillon, defendant returned to the truck's cab to retrieve his driver's license. At the same time, Susan Bass, a passenger in defendant's vehicle, exited the cab and approached the rear of defendant's truck. Corporal Dillon asked defendant and Susan Bass to step aside so he could check the truck license plate. At that time, he noticed fresh blood seeping from beneath the tailgate. In response to Corporal Dillon's inquiry seeking identification of the cargo being carried, defendant remarked, "Oh, shit," which was followed by Susan Bass' assertion, "It's a body. He's killed my husband." Upon inspection, Corporal Dillon discovered a dead body, later identified as that of Mark Steven Bass, in the bed of defendant's pickup truck. Thereafter, defendant was placed under arrest and advised of his Miranda rights. After preliminary investigation at the scene, defendant and Susan Bass were both transported to the sheriff's office. Each was interrogated and gave a statement describing the events preceding Mark Bass' death.

Defendant stated he returned from work during the afternoon of October 16, 1984, to find that his wife and children had moved from their family home. That evening, he drove to Waveland, Mississippi, hoping to locate his wife, who had relatives residing in that city. Defendant bought a pint of Jack Daniels whiskey in Covington, Louisiana, which he consumed during the trip to Mississippi. Defendant stopped and bought another bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey later that evening. While returning from Mississippi, defendant offered a ride to a female hitchhiker who was standing near a St. Tammany Parish interstate exit That hitchhiker, later identified as Susan Bass, offered defendant sexual favors in exchange for a detour of his intended course of travel. The purported object for the detour was to retrieve a package. Susan Bass directed defendant through a circuitous route which ended on a dead-end road in Oak Knoll Subdivision off the Talisheek-Abita Road in St. Tammany Parish. When defendant stopped his truck, he immediately observed a human figure laying on the side of the road. Further investigation revealed that the figure was the bleeding body of a man, later identified as Mark Steven Bass, Susan Bass' husband. Susan Bass told defendant she would inform the police he had killed her husband if defendant did not assist in disposing of the body. While attempting to leave the scene, defendant's truck became stuck in a drainage ditch. Defendant gave Susan Bass a tire tool to use as a digging implement in an attempt to free his truck. Defendant ultimately used a tractor which had been located in the yard of neighboring property. With the assistance of Susan Bass, defendant towed his truck from the ditch and loaded Mark Bass' body onto the bed of the truck. Defendant and Susan Bass were en route to dump Mark Bass' body in the river when they were stopped by Corporal Dillon.

Lieutenant David Bulloch testified that defendant was able to direct him and Detective McCormick to the site where the victim's body was loaded into defendant's truck. Corporal Wyatt McCullough, also involved in the crime scene investigation, discovered a tire tool in a ditch at that site. About forty feet from the tire tool, he found scattered coins and a brown wallet which contained items belonging to Mark Bass.

An autopsy conducted by Dr. Charles Crumpler, a pathologist, revealed that Mark Bass had died as a result of multiple wounds to the front and back portions of his torso and the back of his head. Hemorrhaging in his soft tissues indicated that the victim was still alive when all the wounds were inflicted. Time of death was fixed at between 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. on the night of October 16,1984. Additionally, Dr. Crumpler testified that the wounds on the victim's body were consistent with having been inflicted by the recovered tire tool. Because of the similarity in the size of the wounds, Dr. Crumpler opined that all the wounds had been caused by one instrument.

Defendant's employer, Preston Crawford, testified that due to inclement weather defendant did not work on Monday, October 15, 1984. James Tamplin, an employee at the Wine Cellar liquor store in Waveland, Mississippi, testified that the defendant, Susan Bass and Mark Bass arrived together at the store during the late afternoon of October 15, 1984. (Defendant, in his statement, denied ever seeing Mark Bass alive or being acquainted with Susan or Mark Bass prior to the night of October 16, 1984.)

(Published at http://www.leagle.com/decision/19861847491So2d1356_11563/STATE%20v.%20VAMPRAN)

Mark — S.. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

RINGGOLD, LA - Louis E. Bass passed away Wednesday, November 8, 2000 after a long courageous battle of heart disease and diabetes. He was preceded in death by his son, Mark; parents, Luke Bass and Lucille Vucinovich. He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Mary Bumgardner Bass; son, Glenn Bass and wife, Christine of Picayune, MS; daughter, Pam Knudsen and husband Jack of San Diego CA; grandchildren, Jamie, Jonathon, Jeremy, Janna and Blake; great-grandchildren, Zachary and Eathon; sisters, Mary Gooch of Glen Burnie, MD and Lucy Plaisance of Minnesota and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mr. Bass was a US Navy diver, veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was proud of his military service. he was a devoted son, husband, father, and grandfather. He will be missed by all who knew him. He donated his body to science and research wishing to re-pay the medical community for all they did for him over the years. There will be a memorial service at a later date.

The family wishes to thank the staff of the Intensive Care Unit at Willis Knighton Medical Center, along with Drs. Eric Smith, Phillip Rozeman and Richard Fincher.

(Published in The Shreveport Times on November 12, 2000)

Louis married Mary Lillian Bumgardner 26 Oct 1950, Miller County, Arkansas, USA. Mary (daughter of Jacob Alexander Bumgardner, Jr. and Lena Tabitha Kendrick) was born 4 Mar 1934, Jena, La Salle Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 7 Jun 2008, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

SHREVEPORT, LA - A memorial service for Mary Bumgardner Bass will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at the Church of Holy Cross, 875 Cotton St.

Mrs. Bass was born on March 4, 1934 in Jena, La and passed away on Saturday, June 7 at Grace Home in Shreveport. She was fun loving, devoted and compassionate.

She is survived by her sister, Ada; daughter, Pamela; grandchildren, Jamie, Blake, Jonathon, Jeremy and Janna; great-grandchildren, Zachary, Lila, Eathon and Harper and a host of family and friends.

Donations may be made to Grace Home Hospice Care.

(Published in the Shreveport Times on June 11, 2008)

Notes:

Obituary:

Bumgardner Burial Rites Slated Today

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Rose-Neath chapel for Jacob Alex Bumgardner, 63, of 719 Travis street, who died at 11:30 p.m. Monday at a local hospital after a long illness.

The Rev. H.G. Buchanan, pastor of the Calvary Baptist church, will officiate. Graveside services will be held at 3:30 p.m. today at the Red River cemetery at Linton.

Bumgardner, a retired shipping clerk, had been a resident of Shreveport for the past 35 years. He was born at Linton in Bossier parish. He was associated with the Hemenway-Johnson Furniture company and later with the Roby Furniture company. He retired three years ago due to ill health.

Bumgardner is survived by his widow, Mrs. Lena Kendrick Bumgardner; four sons, J.K. of Baton Rouge; F.A., F.M. and J.E., all of Shreveport; four daughters, Mrs. T.T. Elkins, Natchitoches; Mrs. W.V. Sistrunk and Mrs. V.H. Brown, both of Shreveport; and Mrs. Louis Bass of Long Beach, Calif.; one brother, John W. Bumgardner, Shreveport; one sister, Mrs. J.G. Warfield, Houston, Texas; and 11 grandchildren.

Active pallbearers will be R.L. Hudson, W.R. Birdwell, Harry Bumgardner, W.F. Dalrymple, Jr., Arthur Ray Teague, and Milton Davis.

Honorary pallbearers will be H.D. Tucker, Dr. John W. Cobb and employees of the Roby Furniture company.

(Published in The Shreveport Times on March 7, 1951)

Jacob married Lena Tabitha Kendrick 15 Aug 1914, Jena, La Salle Parish, Louisiana, USA. Lena was born 10 Jan 1894, Tullos, La Salle Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 2 Feb 1978, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, USA; was buried 4 Feb 1978, Lay Cemetery - Benton, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today at the Marshall Street Chapel of Rose-Neath Funeral Home for Lena Bumgardner, 84, of 2913 Judson St.

Mrs. Bumgardner died at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Schumpert Medical Center following a lengthy illness.

Services will be conducted by the Rev. O.H. Prothro, a retired Baptist minister. Burial will be in Lay Cemetery near Benton.

Mrs. Bumgardner was a native of Tullos but had lived in Shreveport most of her life. She was a member of the Queensborough Baptist Church, the Broadmoore Chapter Order of Eastern Star and the VFW Auxiliary.

She is survived by three sons, John K. Bumgardner, of Baton Rouge, Fred Bumgardner, of Macon, Ga., and James Bumgardner, of Shreveport; four daughter, Mrs. Tom Elkins, Baton Rouge, Mrs. Beth Sistrunk and Mrs. Vollie H. Brown, both of Shreveport, and Mrs. Louis Bass of Slidell; 20 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

(Published in The Shreveport Times on February 4, 1978)

Notes:

Obituary:

J.A. Bumgardner, 77 years old, and for 60 years a resident of Bossier parish where he emigrated from Talladega, Ala., in 1865, died Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the home of his son, J.A. Bumgardner, Jr., 2124 Seymour street. Funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock from the home of his son-in-law, Lonnie Houston, 3149 Samford avenue, where services conducted by Dr. M.E. Dodd and the Rev. Winston Borum, pastor and assistant pastor of the First Baptist church, of which he was a member. The body will be sent to Linton for burial. He was married June 10, 1880 to Miss Alwilda Ketura Holly and to them eight children were born, three of whom survive him, Mrs. J.G. Warfield of Houston, and J.A. and John Bumgardner of Shreveport. Two brothers, L.R. and W.R. Bumgardner, both of Linton, also survive him. He was a veteran of the Confederacy and a member of Gen. LeRoy Stafford Camp, U.C.V., Shreveport.

(Published in The Shreveport Times on March 17, 1925)

Jacob married Alwilda Keturah Holley 7 Jun 1880, Bellevue, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, USA. Alwilda (daughter of Nathan Holley and Martha E.) was born 23 Jul 1859, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 17 Oct 1908, Benton, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, USA; was buried 18 Oct 1908, Lay Cemetery - Benton, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

Mrs. Kittie (Holly) Bumgardner, wife of Mr. J.A. Bumgardner, died at her home late last Saturday afternoon, and was laid to rest in Red River Cemetery, Sunday. She was forty-nine years of age, and leaves a husband and four children - Mrs. L. Houston of Catahoula parish, Aleck, Kittie and John. For a short time Mrs. Bumgardner lived in Benton where she made many friends. She had a gently and kindly disposition, and was a good Christian. Aside from the members of the bereaved family and other relatives, there are many friends in our parish who will deeply mourn her death.

(Published in The Bossier Banner on October 22, 1908)