Beauty Couch was a 22-year-old social media influencer and roller-skating instructor whose body was found hidden in the woods after her car was burned. Prosecutors built their case against her boyfriend, Eugene Jacques, using a trail of circumstantial evidence, including a traffic ticket found near her body, cellphone data, and his flight to Louisiana under a fake name. A jury ultimately found him guilty of murder.
Listen to the full breakdown, with my commentary, on Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide.
If you’ve already listened to this episode, then let me know what you think by clicking here.
Influencer’s Burned Vehicle Leads to Gruesome Discovery
What initially appeared to be a vehicle fire investigation quickly transformed into a homicide case that shocked Georgia and captured national attention.
On August 23, 2023, firefighters responded to a burning Dodge Dart in Austell, Georgia. After extinguishing the flames, investigators learned the vehicle belonged to 22-year-old Beauty Couch, a college student and social media influencer known online as Beauty Katera.
As authorities searched the area surrounding the burned vehicle, they made a devastating discovery. Beauty’s body was found hidden in nearby woods. An autopsy later revealed she had been stabbed 81 times.
Investigation Focuses on Boyfriend
Investigators quickly began piecing together Beauty’s final movements and soon focused their attention on her boyfriend, Eugene Jacques.
According to prosecutors, one of the earliest clues came in the form of a traffic citation bearing Eugene’s name that was found near the crime scene. As the investigation expanded, authorities also reviewed cellphone location data and license plate reader information that they said helped place Eugene in key locations connected to the case.
Prosecutors further alleged that after Beauty disappeared, Eugene traveled to Louisiana and attempted to conceal his identity while there by using a false name.
Trial Centers on Circumstantial Evidence
During the 2026 trial, prosecutors acknowledged that no DNA evidence directly linked Eugene Jacques to the murder.
Instead, the state argued that the combination of digital evidence, travel records, witness testimony, and other circumstantial evidence created a clear picture of guilt.
Defense attorneys countered that the absence of direct forensic evidence left significant reasonable doubt and argued the state’s case relied too heavily on circumstantial evidence.
After deliberating, the jury ultimately sided with prosecutors and found Eugene guilty on all counts.
Life Sentence Without Parole
Following the conviction, Eugene Jacques was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with additional consecutive prison time.
The case remains a powerful example of how prosecutors can build a successful murder case using circumstantial evidence, even when direct forensic evidence is unavailable.
For Beauty Couch’s family, the verdict marked the end of a long legal battle and a step toward justice for a young woman whose life was cut tragically short.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to http://thehotline.org . All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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FAQ:
Who was Beauty Couch?
Beauty Couch, known online as Beauty Katera, was a 22-year-old college student and social media influencer from Georgia.
What evidence was used to convict Eugene Jacques?
Prosecutors relied on circumstantial evidence including cellphone location data, license plate reader information, a traffic citation found near the crime scene, travel records, and witness testimony.
Was there DNA evidence linking Eugene Jacques to the murder?
No. Prosecutors acknowledged during trial that there was no DNA evidence directly connecting him to the killing. The conviction was based on the totality of the circumstantial evidence presented.
Hey, lambs. This is just an impromptu midweek mini. I don’t think it’s really a mini. This is a really long case. Um, but being that it’s impromptu, you’re gonna hear some noises, uh, in the background because I’m not in my little quiet place like I normally am recording. So let’s get into this case and you’re gonna hear why I have to stop everything to bring this case to you. Before I do get into it, don’t forget to follow me over on my newly monetized Facebook. You’ll get, uh, new cases, shorter cases. It’s like one to two minutes and they are in video format. Uh, you can find the link, uh, in the show notes below or you can just search for facebook.com relationshipcrime all right, my ice makers running in the background. Let’s get into this episode. On August 23, 2023, at around 12:18pm The Austell Fire Department responded to a report of a brush fire in Austell, Georgia. When firefighters arrived, they found a, uh, Dodge Dart fully engulfed in fl. After the fire was extinguished, the car was towed to a wrecker yard. At the time, nobody knew that the burned car would lead police to a much larger investigation. The Dodge Dart belonged to the mother of 22 year old beauty Katera Couch. Beauty was a college student and a social media influencer. Known online as BeautyKaterra, she had built a following of more than 150,000 people through her roller skating and dance videos. Earlier that month, she had started teaching her first paid skating classes. Her mother, Kimberly Couch, described her as a sweet girl who never bothered nobody and a friend to everyone. Those were quotes from her. Kimberly said Beauty loved skating, loved going to work, loved her clothes and loved wearing her hair so pretty. Her sister Laila Brown described her as lovable, caring, fun, and someone who had a positive impact on many people. Just days before her death on August 19, 2023, Beauty posted what would become her final photos on Instagram. The pictures showed her posing by a pool in a red and black bikini. The caption referenced her boyfriend, 21 year old Eugene Toby Louis Jacques. He said I look good in red. Might as well call me sexy red. Beauty and Eugene had just started dating in April 2023 after meeting at a beauty conference in Orlando Flor. Now his name is Eugene, the French version, but I’m going to just say Eugene the English version. Shortly afterwards, Eugene moved from Naples, Florida to Georgia to be with her. Now, despite the relationship appearing happy on social media, uh, which we’ve had A couple cases like this already. Kimberly later admitted she had a bad feeling about him from the beginning. What she actually said was, quote, bad vibe about him, period. Beauty was last seen on the morning of August 22, 2023, and her car was found burned the next day. After finding the car, police went to Kimberly’s home to investigate. During that conversation, officers learned that Beauty had been missing for more than 24 hours. Now, I know you’re asking more than 24 hours. Why didn’t anybody report her? That’s a very interesting question. Police immediately returned to the area where the car had been found and began searching the surrounding woods. Beauty’s body was then found in the wood line, approximately 191 to 200ft away from the torched vehicle. She had been brutally stabbed 81 times in her upper torso with a, quote, sharp force instrument. Before her body was dumped and covered with branches and debris, Kimberly struggled to understand what happened to her daughter. Quote, they burnt my baby’s car up. They burnt her car up. They treated her like she was a dog. I don’t like that. They hurt my baby so bad. My baby didn’t deserve this. My baby was a good baby. Uh, I could feel her pain. Oh, uh, my God. Okay. Can’t let it sink in, because that was just. That, quote was so sad. Laila also spoke about the way her sister had been left. She said Beauty was found in the woods, quote, like an animal. The following day, Aug. 24, 2023, Cobb County Police officially identified the victim as Beauty couch and announced that foul play was suspected. Investigators quickly began processing both the crime scene and the area around it. While searching near Beauty’s body, they found a piece of evidence that they called, quote, bizarre but instrumental, lying mere feet from her body. What they found was a traffic ticket. What do I always say? Lambs? Have as much evidence on or around your person or apparently around the crime scene as possible. Tell everyone you know and everyone you don’t. And what did we add? Get in a taxi with your full face visible and wear a costume that you’ve been seen in before and have picture proof of. The ticket had been issued to Eugene. It had his name and the license plate number on it for his white Nissan Altima. I always say, have that fricking neon arrow pointing directly at you. And if this is not a neon arrow, I don’t. I don’t know what is. Using the information from the ticket, along with cell phone data and license plate reader information, investigators started tracking Eugene’s movements. As police followed the trail they learned that Eugene had left Georgia and was heading, uh, towards Louisiana. By August 25, 2023, investigators had identified him as a suspect and learned that he had ties to St. Tammy Parish, Louisiana. So, so law enforcement agency in Georgia and Louisiana began working together to find him. That same afternoon at around 4:40pm detectives spotted Eugene driving his white Nissan Altima on Oak Harbor Boulevard in Slidell, Louisiana. When Eugene was pulled over, he identified himself by giving a fake name, Michael Waters. And Michael is spelled M, Y, K A, E, L. Detective Chance Cloud said, quote, I elected to run the name and date of birth Michael Waters that was provided to me during which time I learned that that person did not exist. Inside his car, police found a, uh, Boost mobile phone receipt and a, uh, completed job application for a local golf course, both filled out using the Michael alias. Investigators also found clothing, bedding, towels, scissors, and a map of, uh, St. Tammany Parish. A pair of bloody sneakers were recovered from the car as well. However, DNA testing later showed the blood belonged to Eugene and not beauty. Police also found a rolled up piece of paper with burned, uh, tips inside the car. So from what I’m gathering, everything found in the car except for the burned piece of paper made it look like he’s trying to build a new life under a new name. Do you agree? Eugene was arrested and booked in the St. Tammany Parish Correctional center as a fugitive. While awaiting, uh, extradition back to Georgia, Sheriff Randy Smith said, quote, let the message be that we do not take kindly to people who think they can commit a crime elsewhere and try to hide it in St. Tammany Parish. We were happy to help our counterparts in Georgia by locating this suspect and taking him into custody so he may face justice. And Ms. Couch’s family can begin to receive closure during this difficult time. On August 26, 2023, a judge denied Eugene’s bond during his first court appearance. Then on October 5, 2023, a, uh, Georgia grand jury formally indicted him on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, arson, concealing the death of another, and tampering with evidence. At some point later in 2023, Eugene was extradited back to Cobb County. Geor remained while awaiting trial. As, ah, the case moved towards court, Beauty’s family continued searching for answers. Kimberly repeatedly spoke about the pain of losing her daughter and the brutality of what had happened to her. They took a part of my life from me. They took a part of my heart. I want them to pay for what they did to my baby. I want to really just look at him and say, why? Why? How could you do that to an innocent, beautiful person? One point of frust for Kimberly involved the timeline before Beauty was reported missing. Beauty had been staying with her adoptive mother before her disappearance, and Kimberly said that she wished she had been notified sooner. Quote, she should have called me and let me know that she hasn’t seen my baby in 24 hours. She should have let me know we both could have gone to find my baby. The case finally went to trial on May 19, 2026, with Judge Kimberly Childs presiding. And Eugene pleaded what lambs? Not guilty. You already know. To all charges. The prosecution, led by attorneys Stephanie Green and Jared Horowitz, acknowledged from the start that there was no DNA evidence of his on Beauty’s body or hers in his car linking Eugene to the murder. The prosecution argued that the reason for the lack of forensic evidence was because the Dodge Darted had been burnt so extensively that investigators were unable to recover the type of forensic evidence they normally would expect to find. They pointed out that rolled up piece of paper with burnt tips that was found in Eugene’s car when he was arrested, suggesting that that might have been what was used to start the fire that destroyed Beauty’s car. Prosecutors also focused on what they described as a paper trail and evidence of Eugene’s actions after Beauty’s death. First, there was a traffic ticket found near her body. They also argued that Eugene’s fleeing to Louisiana and use of a fake identity were clear signs of guilt. And finally, they pointed out the fact that Eugene was the last person known to be with Beauty. They also presented cell phone location data and license plate reader information. They said all placed Eugene in that area. Throughout the trial, prosecutors repeatedly talked about the violence of the attack itself, namely beauty being stabbed 81 times. The defense, well, as you know, they defensed. Headed by attorney Brian Lumpkin, they fought to establish reasonable doubt by highlighting the total absence of forensic evidence. Attorney Lumpkin pointed out that no DNA from Eugene was found on Beauty’s body and. And no blood from Beauty was found on Eugene’s clothes or in his car, despite the extreme brutality of an 81 stab wound attack. Attorney Lumpkin apparently famously. Because that’s what the reports labeled it as famously said to the jury, quote, this is not the O.J. case, but you had that bloody glove. Why? Because the brutality of that murder led him to leaving that piece of evidence on him. Attorney Lumpkin also suggested that the traffic ticket might have been planted on the scene by somebody else, saying that piece of paper got there intentionally by someone. It’s so bizarre. It’s so unreal. It can’t be a coincidence. He questioned why someone would burn an entire car to destroy evidence while leaving behind a document containing their own name and license plate number. At another point, attorney Lumpkin asked jurors to think about how fires normally work. I can’t just think of it. You start a fire, you roll up a piece of paper, you light it to start the fire. What happens to that piece of paper? It’s in the fire, but they’re going to suggest to you this piece of paper was not put in there just to sit there for no apparent reason. The defense also argued that Eugene’s flight to Louisiana did not automatically mean he was guilty of murder. He argued that Eugene only fled and used an alias because he knew he would be the primary suspect and was afraid of being wrongly accused. Which my question would be how? How would he know that Beauty was murdered if this all happened in, like, three days? By the time everything was out, like, he was already in Louisiana. Am I wrong? If I remember the timeline correctly, he was already in Louisiana. So maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they came out and said something earlier. I don’t know. If I’m wrong, let me know in the comments. Quote, he’s guilty of being the best suspect they could come up with, really, the only suspect they chose to look at, and then trying to avoid being that suspect. The defense also acknowledged that Eugene was in Austell around the time of the crime. He’s in the area. He’s in Austell. No doubt he was there a lot because he went over to see Beauty all the time. Ultimately, attorney Lumpkin argued that the evidence may have appeared consistent with guilt, but that it still failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. We don’t deny. We know it was horrible. There’s a lot of things about this evidence that are consistent with my client being guilty here, but that’s not proved beyond a reasonable doubt. With all that said, it was now up to the jury. On May 22, 2026, the jury reached a verdict finding Eugene guilty on all six counts. After the verdict was read, uh, the case immediately moved into sentencing. Like, immediately. Attorney Horowitz urged the court to show Eugene the same amount of mercy he believed Beauty had received. The evidence in this case has demonstrated that this defendant showed no mercy towards Ms. Couch. And this court shouldn’t allow any mercy either. Judge Childs agreed and sentenced Eugene to life in prison without the possibility of parole. And just for good measure, added an additional consecutive sentence of 20 to 21 years. For Beauty’s family, the sentence could not bring her back. Kimberly was still left with the same question she had been asking since, uh, the beginning. Why? How could you do that to an innocent, beautiful person? Meanwhile, the people who followed Beauty online continued mourning her loss. One follower wrote, quote, every time I skate from now on, I’m going to hold you so close. And another wrote, quote, such a beautiful person. I just want justice for her. Sad that people can hate so much. And that is the case that I saw. I wanted to immediately bring to you. What are your thoughts on this case? You heard mine, Actually, I have a lot more thoughts on this. Um, I want to break down the evidence, and I want to break down what the defense said, and you heard some of them throughout this episode. But if you want to hear more and my unfiltered thoughts, I’m about to go on a rant over into Patreon, and you can get that as part of the LaM Patreon fam, starting at only $3 a month. Patreon.com, uh, loveandmurder. In the meantime, let me know if you think that Eugene was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt based on the evidence that was provided, being that it was circumstantial evidence. Uh, but let me know what you think as part of the fake LaM Patreon ju. Let me know guilty or not guilty in the comments, and I’ll read your verdict off in another episode. And that is all I have for you today. Thank you so much for your support and for joining me on this random Wednesday for this midweek mini. And I will either see you in another episode or over in the Patreon for my ranting rant that I’m about to rant. Bye.
Since you listened to this case, maybe you’d be interested in:
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Midweek Mini | Woman Murdered Son Over Custody Battle with Her Mom plus a Shocking Update | Janet Garcia
https://murderandlove.com/midweek-mini-woman-murdered-son-over-custody-battle-with-her-mom-plus-a-shocking-update-janet-garcia/
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