Francillon “Yo Yo” Pierre — Case Summary & Timeline

 

Francillon “Yo Yo” Pierre — Case Summary & Timeline

Basic Information

• Name: Francillon Pierre

• Nickname: “Yo Yo”

• Missing Since: August 2, 1986

• Missing From: North Las Vegas, Nevada

• Date of Birth: October 1, 1982 (would be 43 in 2025)

• Age at Disappearance: 3

• Race: Biracial (Black/White)

• Height/Weight (At Disappearance): ~3'6", ~32–35 lbs

• Distinguishing Features: Brown eyes, black hair; of Haitian descent, born in Haiti.

• Classification: Endangered Missing Person 

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Background & Pre‑Disappearance Events

Custody and Abuse History

• Francillon lived with his mother, Amy Elizabeth Luster (later known as Amy Fleming), and her then‑fiancé Mahaleel “Lee” Luster.

• In December 1985, Francillon’s mother and Lee were arrested and charged with felony child abuse after a babysitter reported that the child had 30–40 welts on his back. Francillon was briefly placed in foster care. Amy admitted to whipping him with a belt, and Lee also admitted to beating him. Despite this, after posting bail in April 1986, Francillon was returned to their custody.

• Social workers trying to perform welfare checks were repeatedly denied access to the home. In July 1986, neighbors again noted bruises; the couple offered various explanations, including punishment for bed‑wetting and setting fires. Lee admitted to forcing him to run in circles and to sleep outside at least one night. 

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August 2, 1986 — Last Reported Sighting

According to Amy and Lee:

• They claimed to have taken Francillon to the Broad Acres Swap Meet in North Las Vegas that morning.

• They said they stopped at a food stand around 11:30 a.m., bought food, and Lee went off to look at bicycles for Francillon.

• Amy said Francillon was near the entrance (6–9 feet away), and when she returned with food, he was gone.

• They reported him missing that day. 

However:

• Most swap‑meet witnesses later told police they never saw Francillon there that day.

• Neighbors also reported that he hadn’t been seen alive outside the home for at least a week or two before the disappearance. 

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Investigation & Early Legal Actions (1986–1987)

• Both Amy and Lee took polygraph tests after the disappearance and failed.

• In December 1986, they were charged with 10 counts of obstruction of justice for lying to investigators.

• They pleaded guilty to some obstruction charges: Amy received 112 days in jail and Lee received 180 days.

• During their sentences, they exchanged letters that were later seized; in one torn letter, Amy wrote, “What happened was totally unintentional, I’m sorry…” 

March 1987 reports:

• Two witnesses came forward saying they heard Lee tell a woman in jail: “Amy killed the baby.”

• Amy and Lee suggested the child’s biological father, Jean Pierre (in Haiti), might have taken him. Investigators located him and conducted interviews — including a lie detector — and ruled him out as a suspect. 

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Post‑Disappearance Movements & Cold Case Status

• About 11 months after the disappearance (1987–88), Amy and Lee moved to Florida, claiming they wanted to be closer to Haiti; the case went cold.

• Francillon remained listed as missing, and his case continued to be classified as an endangered missing person case.

• Investigators suspected foul play given the inconsistencies and lack of independent sightings of Francillon at the swap meet. Some speculated his remains could be in Lake Mead, though nothing definitive was found. 

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Cold Case Breakthrough & 2017 Re‑Investigation

• In 2017, detectives reopened the case after someone apparently attempted to obtain a U.S. birth certificate in Francillon’s name — suggesting identity theft or fraud involving his identity.

• This prompted North Las Vegas Police to review old evidence, including polygraph records, witness statements, and the seized letters. 

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2019 Arrest & Charges

• On January 29, 2019, Amy Elizabeth Fleming was arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, and extradited to Nevada to face a felony murder charge related to Francillon’s disappearance and presumed death.

• Lee Luster was considered a person of interest but was not charged.

• Authorities noted they still had no direct evidence (no body was found), but new witness information and reconstructed jailhouse materials strengthened the case. 

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2021 Plea & Sentencing

• In August 2021, Amy Fleming entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter in connection with her son’s presumed death. An Alford plea means she acknowledged that the state had sufficient evidence to convict, while still maintaining her innocence.

• She was sentenced to two years in prison, but with credit for time already served awaiting trial, she was expected to serve about eight more months.

• Prosecutors have said they believe her actions resulted in Francillon’s death, but the exact cause and his body’s location remain unknown. 

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Current Case Status (as of the latest updates)

• Francillon remains officially missing and presumed dead.

• His remains have never been located and there is no confirmed cause or exact date of death.

• The case still holds a place in missing‑person databases and is treated as a cold case with historical resolution via the manslaughter conviction, but no complete forensic closure. 

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Summary of Key Points

What we know:

• Francillon was last reported seen at age 3 on August 2, 1986.

• Parents had a history of documented abuse and legal trouble.

• Initial reports and witness statements strongly contradicted the official story of his disappearance.

• Investigation found no independent confirmation that he was at the swap meet that day.

• His mother eventually pleaded to voluntary manslaughter decades later.

• No physical remains or direct evidence have resolved where Francillon is or how he died.

What remains unsolved:

• Francillon’s body has never been found.

• There is no definitive cause of death established in court.

• Lee Luster, while a person of interest, was never criminally charged in connection with the disappearance.