People sometimes think that once they “have it all” they’ll be happy and completely fulfilled. However, some who do manage to get everything they’ve ever wanted find out that they’re still the same people with the same, if not more, problems and issues.
One Louisiana millionaire is a potential example of one of these times. After accumulating wealth, family, and presumably happiness, this entrepreneur found himself wrapped up in a conspiracy to commit kidnapping case, among other charges, after a bizarre incident took a turn for the worst.
Millionaire by 30
At the beginning of his career, the entrepreneur from Louisiana found quick success while working in the technology industry. By the time he was just 30 years old, the Lafayette man was already a millionaire.
Self-Destructive Behavior
However, he evidently couldn’t handle all of the money and success, and before long found ways to self-destruct. After allegedly starting to drink heavily, the successful businessman lost almost all of his money and was forbidden from seeing his children.
Recipe for Disaster
“All of a sudden, I had more money than I ever thought I’d have,” the businessman said about his downward spiral in an interview in 2008. “You give someone like me too much money and no accountability, it’s a recipe for disaster.”
Rock Bottom
When he hit rock bottom, however, he decided to turn his life around and started by getting sober. Once he overcame his addiction to alcohol, he focused his energy on his career and launched several companies that sold vitamins, energy supplements and calcium creams.
New Success
After returning to the business world, Michael Handley got involved with a CrossFit gym and also founded the Townsend Recovery Treatment Center, which became hugely successful. After opening treatment centers throughout the Southern U.S., he sold the company for more than $21 million.
New Love
During that time, Handley met and fell in love with his future wife, Shanda. “I remember her being well put-together all the time,” said Josepha Morgan, an employee of Handley’s. “She reminded me of a celebrity. She always had her shades and a giant handbag. She was very pretty.”
Having it All
The couple got married while on a trip to Hawaii in April 2006, and on the surface, it appeared like Handley had it all. He had built several successful businesses, found love again, and rejoined the “millionaires club.”
Giving Back
After selling the treatment centers, the self-described “eternally optimistic serial entrepreneur who believes that nothing is impossible with God” dedicated his time to giving back to the community and helping others.
The Handley Family Foundation
With Shanda’s help, Handley ran the Handley Family Foundation, which donated money raised at fundraisers to groups and charities for poor children and cancer patients, as well as organizations helping young professionals get involved in their communities.
The Perfect Life
When the couple wasn’t giving back to their community, they loved to travel together and also competed in CrossFit competitions. However, the relationship was crumbling and their “perfect couple” facade started to show some cracks by the spring and summer of 2017.
The Day Everything Changed
On the afternoon of August 6, 2017, Shanda, who was now estranged from Handley, was visiting the couple’s home on the 300 block of Founders Street. While living in a different neighborhood in south Lafayette with her teenage daughter and a friend, two armed men broke into the home.
The Kidnapping
The two men, Sylvester Bracey and Montreal Haynes, were both carrying semi-automatic handguns. They forced Shanda into a van after placing her in handcuffs and putting a bag over her head. Once she was in the van, they headed east on Interstate 10 toward Baton Rouge.
Illegal Maneuver
However, while driving on the interstate, the men encountered heavy traffic and attracted the police’s attention when they pulled out and started driving along the shoulder of the road. According to West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Mike Cazes, an officer tried to pull the van over and followed them to an industrial fabrication facility because the driver refused to stop.
Attempting to Flee
“They ended up trying to drive around a fence. It’s swampy back there,” Cazes said. “The van got stuck, so they ran into the woods nearby.” The two suspects jumped into the Intracoastal Canal to try to escape, but both ended up drowning in the strong current.
A Dangerous Spot to Swim
“Where they went in, it draws a heavy current,” Cazes said. “The canal is bigger than it looks. And they were fully clothed, wearing socks and shoes, which is going to pull you down. This isn’t a place where you go in and go swimming.”
Finding the Victim
Police couldn’t figure out why the men would risk their lives fleeing, but it made more sense when they went back to the van and found Shanda, who had been kidnapped, threatened, and tortured, bound in the back of the van. It was clear why the men ran, but unclear as to the reasoning behind the kidnapping.
The Real Culprit
Police immediately opened an investigation to figure out where the men were taking Shanda and discovered that her estranged husband, Michael Handley, may have been behind the entire plan. According to police, they found evidence that Handley bought the kidnapping gear and hired the kidnappers.
On the Run
When police tried to bring Handley into custody and ask him about the kidnapping, they found that he was already on the run. However, on August 11, 2017, investigators found him in a hotel in Slidell, Louisiana, after he allegedly tried to charter a private jet to flee the country.
The Truth Is Revealed
Just a few months before, Handley initiated a divorce from Shanda claiming that she had attacked him and threatened him. However, police discovered that Handley had been spying on Shanda, following her with tracking devices and spyware. He also allegedly threatened to end her life on multiple occasions, saying things like, “no court or order will save you,” and “if you ignore us … someone you love will suffer.” Handley is believed to have contacted Shanda through random phone numbers.
Awaiting Trial
Handley, who yet again destroyed his “perfect” life, has been accused of multiple charges including conspiracy to commit kidnapping, violation of protective orders and online impersonation. His trial is scheduled for August 27, 2018, and is being kept in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center until his day in court.
Millionaire May Face Prison After Bizarre Abduction Goes Awry is an article from: LifeDaily