Baton Rouge-area law enforcement are investigating a shooting Monday that killed a camp ranger at the Avondale Scout Reservation in Clinton and its possible link to three other shootings over the last four months, authorities said.

Deputies responded to the shooting about 11:15 a.m. at 6897 La. 63, just east of Clinton, said East Feliciana Sheriff's Chief Criminal Deputy Greg Phares.

East Feliciana Sheriff Jeff Travis identified the victim as 48-year-old Brad DeFranceschi. A friend from Boy Scouting said DeFranceschi had worked at Avondale for the last 17 years and lived on the campground.

+2 Boy Scout camp ranger who was "face of Avondale" killed in East Feliciana shooting outside the campgrounds A camp ranger of the Boy Scouts of America Avondale Scout Camp in Clinton was fatally shot Monday morning, said Gary Mertz, the CEO/Scout Exec…

Travis said DeFranceschi was close to the road when he was shot multiple times in front of his home, though he would not clarify if the incident was a drive-by shooting. However, he did indicate that authorities were searching for a small, four-door white car with tinted windows.

At a press conference Monday evening, Travis said they are working collectively with other law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident and how it might be connected to three other shootings, two fatal, within a 25-mile radius of each other since July.

Not seeing the video below? Click here.

"I want the public to know that we are working together and we're going to do everything that we have to do to catch the individuals responsible for these crimes," Travis said.

Law enforcement officials made clear during the press conference that they weren't willing to use the words "serial killer" when talking about the crimes, saying they would continue to investigate each shooting individually while exploring any relationship between them.

Officials also declined to comment on what DeFranceschi was doing when he was shot, exactly where he was located, how many times he was hit with gunfire and what aspects of this crime were similar to the other three shootings.

Travis said his office had already stepped up patrols in the Bluff Creek area and will continue to do so, especially during daytime hours, when all the shootings happened. He said residents shouldn't be fearful, but should stay alert and report any suspicious activity.

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, State Police, and the West Feliciana Sheriff's Office are all working on the cases with East Feliciana investigators, Travis said.

Christine Rodriguez lives about a mile down the road from where DeFranceschi lived and she said her family knew him through Boy Scouts.

Rodriguez said she drove by his house on her way to the store at about 11 a.m. Monday and saw DeFranceschi out in the yard trimming weeds. When she drove past again on her way home about 15 minutes later, she said his driveway was filled with emergency response vehicles.

"It's very scary," Rodriguez, 48, said. "I have an 8-year-old and I don't want him to play outside anymore. Stuff like this is not supposed to happen out here in the country."

The Monday shooting happened on the same road less than 10 miles away from where a Sept. 12 drive-by shooting injured, but didn't kill, 47-year-old Buck Hornsby. He was shot as he was exercising that morning near the roadside of his property on La. 63, Travis said last month.

A week later, 66-year-old Carroll Breeden was killed about 5:30 p.m. as he sprayed weeds by the road in the front yard of his Pride home, just over the parish line from Clinton, family members said. A vehicle drove by and gunned him down, killing him in front of the family's lifelong home at 15288 Port Hudson-Pride Road, said East Baton Rouge Sheriff's spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said at the time.

Just down the road from the shooting's Monday and on Sept. 12, at 621 La. 960, Thomas Bass was killed at his house the morning of July 8, Travis said. However, in that incident, Travis said, the 62-year-old was found dead closer to his home, where the shooter would have had to come up on the property.

Authorities previously said they were investigating if those three shootings, all of which injured or killed middle-aged men, were related.

DeFranceschi was a cornerstone in the Avondale Scout Reservation community, said Nolan Reynerson, 34, who has worked and volunteered with Boy Scouts for much of his life.

"He put a smile on and wore his uniform proudly and was there for every event," Reynerson said. He said DeFranceschi went beyond the typical duties of a ranger managing more than 1,600 acres worth of campground. DeFranceschi was also heavily involved and invested in the programming and events.

"He cared about the kids and did a lot for young men — and young ladies," Reynerson said. "He really cared a lot about the program, as much as he did taking care of the property."

He said DeFranceschi was married, and had a son and daughter who were both involved in scouting.

The ranger also transformed the food served at the camp, employing skills he learned as a cook on a submarine with the U.S. Navy, Reynerson said.

"He could always put together something that tasted good," Reynerson said. He said DeFranceschi led their cooking crew called "The Road Kill Cafe," and made greatly improved meals, as well as brought a fruit and salad bar to campers.

"He's become a staple in the camp," Reynerson said. "He did whatever was needed, whether it was fixing something at the camp, teaching kids merit badges ... he was willing."

Reynerson said while DeFranceschi lived out the entire Scout Law, he most embodied being friendly.

"Whether it was a kid's first time being out or whether it was an old (friend), Brad was friendly and had a smile on his face and greeted people ... more than an (average) ranger," Reynerson said. "He was the face of Avondale."

Gary Mertz, the CEO/Scout Executive of the Istrouma Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, issued a statement Monday saying that "this is an extremely difficult time for our Scouting family."

"Please join us in keeping all those affected in your thoughts and prayers," he wrote.

Miriah Winters said she met DeFranceschi during her 7-year-old son's recent involvement in Boy Scouts.

"He was a real nice person — a sweetheart, very playful with the kids," said Winters, who lives in Clinton. "It's heartbreaking. I don't know who would do something like this. It's a senseless crime. Everybody hurts when people do crazy stuff like this."

Other Clinton residents said DeFranceschi was known around town as "just a good guy."

John Beauchamp, owner and manager of Johnny B's restaurant, said he had seen DeFranceschi around but didn't know him personally. He said the recent rash of unsolved killings in the area have disturbed and alarmed residents, who are baffled by the violence entering their generally quiet community.

"This has got people kind of on edge about what's been going on," Beauchamp said. "It just seems random … I can't understand why anyone would kill someone like that."