Deonza McClinton guilty of 2024 murder

A Shreveport man was found guilty late Wednesday, July 22, 2026, of the June 4, 2024 slaying of Billy Ray Doyle at a Linwood Avenue convenience store.

The four-man, eight-woman jury in District Judge Donald Hathaway Jr.'s court took an hour to deliver its unanimous guilty-as-charged verdict against Deonza McClinton, 32. The trial began Monday, July 20, 2026.

Over the course of the trial, prosecutors called nine witnesses to prove that McClinton and a codefendant ambushed Mr. Doyle, 41, at the In & Out convenience store in the 4300 block of Linwood. McClinton was armed with a 300 Blackout assault-style rifle, which evidence revealed was discharged 22 times. Mr. Doyle suffered wounds to every internal organ in his body except his spleen, bladder and left kidney. Footage from area business security cameras, the Real Time Crime Center and License Plate Readers showed the shooters' vehicle in the vicinity, as well as the driver, who is a co-defendant. At the trial, the defense argued that the shooting was in self-defense, but that was rejected by the jury. 

When he returns to Judge Hathaway's court for sentencing August 5, 2026, McClinton faces life in prison without possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence as mandated by state law.   

McClinton was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Christopher S. Bowman and Chase Burgess. He was defended by Carlos Prudhomme. 

McClinton's co-defendant will face trial September 14, 2026.

The case was docket No. 402378.

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