THE MECHANIC
My name is Cory Dunn, and I am the mechanic.
Jeremiah Ramirez. This is a name that will forever be a part of my life and the lives of many others. He and his family are the first reason I’m writing this statement. Cody Beaudette, his children, and his family are the second. The children, the family members, and the community of Connie Noel Estes are the third.
The hit-and-run that tragically took the life of an innocent 6-year-old boy on August 13, 2025, has been the main topic of conversation across local social media for just over two weeks. The sheer amount of assumptions, lies, misinformation, and misunderstandings I’ve seen is absolutely mind-blowing.
I had planned to write this next week, as I’m currently in Virginia attending my son and now daughter-in-law’s wedding. I hadn’t planned to spend time on this while here. But I’ve received several calls asking if I am “the mechanic.” My name has started to come up—likely because a few people know I’ve been Noel’s mechanic for years. So before more false information is posted or any backlash is directed at me, I’m making this post now.
I understand the families involved—and the community—are looking for answers. While I do not have answers regarding the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Department beyond my personal contact with them, I will say this: they have been nothing but professional in every interaction I’ve had. What I can provide are the facts related to my own involvement in this tragedy. And that’s exactly what this statement will contain—facts.
On “Backlash”
What do I mean when I say I’m worried about “backlash”?
Look at what happened to Cody. I don’t know the full details of his past legal issues or law enforcement history. But once someone mentioned his past online, the assumptions spread like wildfire. It didn’t matter how many people shared the positives—about him being a father, a mentor, a coach. The narrative was already formed, and the anger and blame were directed at him and his family.
I have a past too.
I’ve made poor life choices. I struggled with addiction. Some of my actions put me exactly where I deserved to be—handcuffed in the back of a St. Tammany Sheriff’s vehicle, on the way to jail. I even faced false accusations at one point, and I know firsthand how damaging that can be.
But I paid restitution. I made amends. I went through drug court and got clean. On May 25, 2025, I celebrated 8 years clean—and I still am today. I’m not proud of my past, but I am proud of who I’ve become.
People ask me why my business is called Renaissance Motors. It’s because renaissance means rebirth. Getting clean and graduating drug court saved my life. That was my renaissance.
Still, some people will bring up your past any chance they get. I’ve had a customer blast me on social media over a warranty dispute—essentially trying to extort me for $1,400 or they wouldn’t take the post down. What they don’t post about is how I donate gift cards to Judge Hand’s drug court to help others in recovery. Or how we donate $1,000 in vehicle repairs at Christmas to families in need. But that’s the world we live in.
So with all that said—I’m willing to accept the consequences of doing the right thing.
My Involvement
On August 13, 2025, at 7:37 PM, Noel Estes texted the shop asking me to call her.
I called her at 7:38. She asked if I could come by her work—she needed some advice.
I stopped by on my way home. She asked about repairs for her sunroof and a front bumper that was taped up. She told me she’d hit a mailbox. I told her we could give her an estimate for the sunroof, but we’re not a body shop, so we wouldn’t be replacing the bumper—just maybe the bracket.
She dropped the vehicle off the next day, August 14th.
By then, I had already heard about the hit-and-run. When I reflected on our conversation and looked at the damage, something didn’t feel right.
It wasn’t uncommon for Noel to call me after accidents—but this time felt different.
Still, gut feelings aren’t facts. And Cody had already been arrested. I assumed law enforcement had evidence to support that arrest. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions or ruin someone’s reputation by calling in a suspicion without something more concrete. I didn’t even touch the vehicle. I parked it outside by the street, thinking if police were looking for it, they’d see it.
As I watched social media unfold, the feeling that her vehicle might be involved grew stronger.
Yes, I went to the victim’s house. Twice.
The first time was to ask about the color of the scooter. I was told it was sky blue.
The second time was to show a photo of the vehicle I had, to see if Jeremiah’s sister recognized it. She wasn’t sure. Both visits were heartbreaking. I left in tears. You never want to look into the eyes of a parent who just lost a child.
Back at the shop, I took a closer look. There were light smudges on the paint—hard to tell if they were blue. But again, Cody was already arrested. I decided I would not let that vehicle leave the shop until I knew for sure whether it was involved.
Turning Point
Eventually, a St. Tammany officer came by, saw the car, and asked questions. At no point did I call and get ignored by the Sheriff’s Department—that never happened.
When that officer arrived, I told him I needed to speak with him privately. I shared my concerns. He thanked me and said they’d be in touch.
But days went by. The posts. The rumors. The stress. The sleepless nights. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to know the truth.
So I asked one of my techs to raise the vehicle on the alignment rack. We got it to shoulder height and inspected the underside.
That’s when I saw what I had been looking for.
I told my tech to take the rest of the day off. The vehicle was staying on the rack until law enforcement saw what I saw.
About 10 minutes later, an officer came in to check if the vehicle was still there. I told him, “I was just about to call.” I showed him. He contacted his boss, who then came out and confirmed my findings. We waited for a judge to issue a warrant. That night, the vehicle was towed to the crime lab.
Aftermath
I was furious at Noel for involving me. Her actions caused stress for me, my family, and my employees. It threw off my ability to meet my commitments to customers. I’ve felt sick to my stomach.
But despite all of that—I’m grateful.
I’m grateful she contacted me.
I’m grateful the vehicle wasn’t cleaned of evidence.
I’m grateful Cody is out of jail.
I’m grateful the right person is now being held accountable.
I pray that Jeremiah’s family can one day find peace.
I pray that this helps stop the rumors, the bashing, and the hurtful posts.
Please, let the children involved just be children. They now have to grow up living with this tragedy. 🙏🏻
