From the Desk of the DA

As we enter this 4th of July holiday weekend, and as our adult court office again leads the state in both per-capita jury trials and in productivity, I also would like to take the opportunity to let you know what is going on in our juvenile court. We are one of only four parishes with a juvenile court, and I am a proud supporter of what they do.  

I am ecstatic to share with you the final middle school truancy numbers of the 2025-2026 school year. Entering the year, we partnered with Caddo Schools Superintendent Keith Burton and our truancy partner Volunteers for Youth Justice’s Kelli Todd to design a new strategy of intervention to tackle the swelling number of post-pandemic truancy cases in some middle schools in our parish. 

In a nutshell, the strategy of investment of personnel into direct intervention at the school level was a home run.  

The results of this middle school pilot program speak for themselves. Here are the truant student percentages:

School                                          2024-2025                          2025-2026

Broadmoor                                  56 percent                           39 percent

Caddo Middle Technology        69 percent                           33 percent

Lanier                                           46 percent                           13 percent

Ridgewood                                  53 percent                           33 percent

Walnut Hill                                  33 percent                           11 percent

Youree                                         39 percent                           20 percent

Turner                                          60 percent                           30 percent

J.S. Clark                                      56 percent                           25 percent

These numbers portend a brighter future for these young people. 

In these perilous times, middle school now is the time we have to grab our young people and direct them away from the pitfalls of crime, guns, gangs, vaping marijuana, bullying, cell phone addiction, pornography and even pregnancy.  

There are fewer young people on probation (today’s count 406, from highs of 650, with 55 currently on ankle monitors) and substantially fewer inmates in our once-packed juvenile detention center. As I write this report, there are six juveniles in our parish pre-trial 24-bed juvenile detention center, that once was filled to alarming capacity when I became your District Attorney in 2015, and there was debate at the Caddo Commission of spending tens of millions of dollars to build a larger juvenile jail. 

The need for a larger juvenile jail is completely unnecessary today, as my Day One focus on truancy and opening The Harbor for juvenile and parental services, and the collaborative efforts of Kelli Todd, School Superintendents Lamar Goree and Keith Burton and their employees, our Caddo Parish Juvenile Judges, Parish Juvenile Services Directors Clay Walker and now Andrew Randall and their hard-working probation staffs, have delivered these results.      

I am happy to announce to you that the pilot program is so successful, all  K-8 schools will participate this upcoming school year!

Kudos to all, and let’s keep the momentum into the next school year!

In June in Caddo District Court, our judges, assistant district attorneys and others in the judicial system were busy as usual. Here are some cases of note:

* The sad story of the 2021 shooting spree in southeast Shreveport that led to the death of 13-year-old Kel'vonte Daigre came to a close in June with the guilty plea and sentencing of the last of four defendants in that slaying.

On June 16, Rodney Lewis Jr., 20, was sentenced by District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. to 10 years in prison He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree murder in connection with the incident that ended at the intersection of East Bert Kouns Industrial Loop and Youree Drive on Sept. 4, 2021.

Young Daigre was fatally struck by a bullet in the incident, which began outside the Tinseltown theater. Two others were injured and several vehicles were damaged in the spree. Lewis was one of four Shreveport teens arrested.

Ja’Shun Ja’Marick Smith was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Now at Angola, as he was 15 at the time of the slaying he will be eligible for parole.

Ikerryunta Stewart entered a guilty plea to manslaughter on May 6, 2024, and also is in Angola, serving a 65-year term. Included in his sentencing were eight counts of attempted murder.

Christopher Davenport pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison.

Lewis was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ross Owen. He was defended by Leslie Kelly. The case was docket No. 393452. 

* Shreveport man Germaine Marquise Jack, 26, convicted earlier this year of possessing a firearm while prohibited from doing so, must serve 20 years in prison, District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. ruled June 29. Judge Hathaway sentenced Jack as a third habitual offender.

The prison term is to be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Jack was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon March 19.

Early January 13, 2025, Shreveport Police Officer Rodrick Carter was patrolling near the intersection of Gilbert Drive and Kings Highway when he observed a man in all-black clothing travelling on a bicycle without proper lighting equipment. Officer Carter stopped the subject and attempted to identify him. The man was unable to produce any form of ID but provided his name so the officer could run a background check. While checking for warrants,

Officer Carter observed the outline of a firearm from the man's front hoodie pocket. Officer Carter then patted the defendant down and confirmed there was a Sig Sauer P365 9MM pistol in the hoodie pocket. Officer Carter then confirmed that the man, who proved to be Mr. Jack, had been convicted of three counts of simple burglary in 2019, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm. 

Jack was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Chase Burgess and Jason Waltman. He was represented by the Caddo Parish Indigent Defender’s office.

The case was docket No. 406295.

* A Shreveport man found guilty of murder last month must spend the rest of his life in prison, a Caddo Parish judge has determined.

On July 1, 2026, District Judge Chris Victory sentenced Koryeon M. Vance, 21, to spend the rest of his life in prison for the November 7, 2023 slaying of Malik Henderson during an apparent drug deal.

Vance was convicted June 10 in Judge Victory's court, after jurors determined he shot Henderson, 27, whose body was found by police cold and lifeless in a car near the 4800 block of McDaniel Drive, in the Hollywood Heights neighborhood. He had been shot once in the head. Investigation showed that Vance and Henderson had been communicating for months about the purchase of marijuana. 

Vance's prison term is to be served at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

Vance was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Victoria Washington and Courtney N. Ray. He was defended by Leslie Kelly.

The case was docket No. 399028.

* Shreveporter Demon Smith, 38, was found guilty of a sex crime against a 16-year-old girl June 10.

The five-woman, one-man jury in District Judge Ramona Emanuel's court deliberated a little over an hour before returning its guilty verdict. Smith was charged with indecent behavior with juveniles.

After hearing testimony from the victim, her father, an advocate from the Gingerbread House and two Shreveport Police officers, jurors determined that in December 2023 Smith sent lewd and lascivious text messages to the girl, then arranged to meet with her at almost midnight. The girl's father had gotten the phone and was waiting when Smith arrived. Smith was detained by the father until police arrived.

Smith will return to Judge Emanuel’s courtroom for sentencing on July 15. He faces up to seven years in prison with or without hard labor and/or a fine of up to $5,000.  He also must register as a sex offender for 15 years upon release.

Smith was prosecuted by Fernando Grider Jr. and Stephen Folk-Cruthirds. He was represented by Dave Knadler and Royal Alexander.

The case was docket No. 399245.

* A woman found guilty May 11 of killing her boyfriend almost three years ago was sentenced June 10 by District Judge John D. Mosely Jr.

Carlisia Manshan Clark, 29, must serve 15 years in prison at hard labor, with credit for time served, for the August 4, 2023 shooting death of Xamien Davis, 39. Clark was found guilty of manslaughter in a bench trial before Judge Mosely. 

Clark and the victim had dated off and on for several years. Evidence presented at trial established that Clark shot Davis as he was trying to leave her apartment. The Court previously cited the significance of both the autopsy findings and the 911 recording in reaching its verdict.

The Court heard victim impact testimony from Davis’s sister. Judge Mosely also considered testimony presented on behalf of Clark from her mother, father, sister and a longtime friend. Clark also addressed the Court prior to sentencing.

Clark was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Britney A. Green and Ron Christopher Stamps of the Caddo District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit. She was defended by Keith Whiddon.

The case was docket No. 401075.

* A Shreveport man found guilty May 15 of criminally possessing a firearm must spend the next decade in prison, a Caddo Parish judge ruled Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. sentenced Patrick Williams II, 40, to 10 years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He had been convicted May 15 in Judge Hathaway's court.

On May 3, 2025, a Shreveport police officer made a traffic stop on a Hyundai Elantra for following too closely to another vehicle and failing to use a turn signal. During the traffic stop, the officer noticed the odor of marijuana and alcohol coming from the car. During a standard search of the vehicle while looking for narcotics, the officer found a Ruger 9mm pistol within arm’s reach of the center console under the media player. Williams, the driver, admitted after he was detained by officers that he had had the firearm for 15 years. Williams has prior convictions of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance as well as a prior felon in possession of a firearm charge, both of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.

Williams was prosecuted by Chase Burgess and Jason Waltman. He was represented by the Caddo Parish Indigent Defender's office.

The case was docket No. 408452.

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In its session that ended June 16, the Caddo Parish Grand Jury returned a single indictment. 

Jonathan Wesley Rachal, 38, of Shreveport, was charged with one count of first-degree rape and two counts of molestation of a juvenile. He was booked into Caddo Correctional Center March 6, with his bond set at $1 million on the rape charge and $500,000 on each of the molestation counts.

Due to the nature of crimes with which he has been charged, the indictment was filed under seal, with no further information available.

This month, we also unfortunately say goodbye to one of our veteran prosecutors, Jason Waltman, who is taking his talents to neighboring Desoto Parish’s District Attorney's Office. Jason was an ace prosecutor in hard-charging District Judge Donald Hathaway Jr.’s courtroom and his leadership and talents are our loss, and our neighbor’s gain. Best wishes always to Jason and his wife, Dr. Kristy Waltman. 

A reminder, this weekend, you can legally discharge fireworks in Caddo Parish and Shreveport through July 5 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., with an extension until 1 a.m. July 4. You can use fireworks only on private property, and you must be 18 years old to purchase or ignite fireworks. 

Have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. Go USA soccer!!!

At your service,

James E. Stewart Sr.

Caddo Parish District Attorney