From the Desk of the District Attorney April 2026

April brought a month of continued attention to domestic violence. Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn’s new Domestic Violence Center opened at 1501 Corporate Drive in Shreveport, and is working with our already existing District Attorneys of Northwest Louisiana Family Justice Center and Project Celebration in expanding places for domestic violence victims to receive all services they need.   From obtaining protective orders to housing to dental needs, our community is uniting against the unfortunate pattern of domestic violence in our state, that crosses all races and income levels.    If you are a victim of domestic violence, please call the Family Justice Center at (318) 584-7171 to receive help.

April also brought enormous grief and pain, as our community and state mourns the losses of innocent children killed by senseless gun violence. Here in Shreveport Jayla Elkins, Shayla Elkins, Kayla Pugh, Layla Pugh, Markaydon Pugh, Sariahh Snow, Khedarrion Snow and Braylon Snow, and in  Baton Rouge, 17-year-old Martha Odom, visiting from Lafayette.  My heart aches for, and my condolences go out to, the families of these children, whose lives were cut short way too soon.

Our Caddo DA office,  the Caddo Parish First Judicial District Court, and Caddo Parish Juvenile Court were busy, as usual, in April.  Here are some highlights:

In its session that ended April 22, the Caddo Parish Grand Jury indicted one man on a charge of second-degree murder.

Anthony Earl Edwards, 58, of Shreveport, was charged in connection with the June 28, 2025 death of Rosalind Sims, a 70-year-old Shreveport woman who was found deceased in a vacant lot just off the roadway in the 2100 block of Laurel Street. Police said she was walking westbound along Laurel when she was run over by her car that was being driven by Edwards, her boyfriend. Edwards is charged in docket No. 414714. He remains in custody at Caddo Correctional Center.

In court action in April:

• *  A man who killed one person and fired at another outside a downtown Shreveport nightclub in 2023 was found guilty as-charged of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm April 30. 

It took less than two hours for five male and seven female jurors in District Judge Chris Victory's court to pass judgement on Brandon Lawyne Batiste, 32, who on July 15, 2023, shot and killed John Ruffin Jr., 41, near the Phoenix Nightclub in the 100 block of Travis Street. His intended victim that evening was Bryson Turner. Batiste had a 2014 conviction for aggravated assault with a firearm and thus was prohibited from possessing a handgun at the time of the Phoenix shootings.

In nightclub video shown at trial, Batiste could be seen aggressively approaching a group of people and instigating a fight. He pulled out a weapon and fired it 17 times. Two other people produced weapons and returned fire. Video evidence showed clearly that Batiste was responsible for firing the fatal shot that killed Mr. Ruffin.  Jurors also heard evidence from Shreveport Police officers and detectives and heard from eyewitnesses as well as several experts in scientific fields.  

When Batiste returns to Judge Victory's court May 27, he faces a mandatory life sentence at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. For the attempted second-degree murder, he faces at least 10 and up to 50 years at hard labor and for the firearm possession charge he faces a prison term of at least five and up to 20 years, both also without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

Batiste was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William J. Edwards and Courtney N. Ray. He was defended by Michael Enright and Carter Lawrence.

The case was docket No. 396444.

* A Bossier City man who shoved his then-wife to the ground after an argument was convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse battery in Caddo District Court April 30.

The bench trial of Michael Hollister, 45, took place before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. Over the course of the trial, prosecutors called five witnesses to prove that Hollister shoved his spouse to the floor inside their garage in Shreveport on May 5, 2023. The state established that the couple celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a number of friends at a local restaurant.  On the drive home, the two argued in the car and once they arrived home the argument escalated to physical violence with Hollister shoving his spouse to the ground. In the months following the incident, he confessed to shoving his spouse to two independent witnesses who testified at trial. At trial, Hollister testified that he had acted in self-defense  after the victim struck him, but Judge Hathaway rejected that testimony.

Judge Hathaway sentenced Hollister to pay a $300 fine plus court costs and to serve six months in the parish jail.  All but 48 hours of the jail term was suspended and Hollister was placed on one year of supervised probation. Also, under Louisiana law, a person convicted of domestic abuse battery may not possess a firearm for a period of 10 years. 

Assistant District Attorney Jason Waltman prosecuted the case. Kelly Long defended Hollister.

The case was docket No. 407413.

* A Mississippi man who shot and killed a California truck driver here in 2024 after a dispute over social media postings was sentenced to life imprisonment April 21.  

Amanvir Singh, 36, was found guilty as charged of second-degree murder April 3 in District Judge Chris Victory's court in connection with the April 23, 2024 slaying of Gurpreet Judge. Mr. Judge, also 36, was shot and killed on the side of the Greenwood Road onramp to Interstate 20 westbound. Judge was shot by Singh, who had a gun and fled the scene.

The life term, mandatory under state law, must be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

Singh was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William Edwards and Kodie K. Smith. He was defended by J. Dhu Thompson and Maddie Crusan.

The case was docket No. 401728.

* A Shreveport man who led police on a high-speed chase for almost a dozen miles a year ago pleaded guilty as charged April 16, just after the first and only witness against him was about to testify.

Darrtavious Tuvoya Lewis, 22, pleaded to aggravated flight from an officer before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. He will return to face Judge Hathaway June 16 for sentencing. He faces a prison term of up to 10 years at hard labor; however, the state has filed a habitual offender bill that, if granted, will allow for enhanced sentencing.

On April 20, 2025, Shreveport police officers observed a 2019 Dodge Durango with a license plate that returned to a stolen vehicle out of Texas run a red light at Kennedy Drive and Hollywood Avenue. When officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, the driver fled and led several patrol units on a high-speed chase that lasted over 15 minutes, reached speeds in excess of 110 mph and ended on Greenwood Road, almost 12 miles away, when the Durango crashed into the fence of a nearby fire station. The driver fled on foot and was eventually apprehended with the use of a K9 officer.

Throughout the pursuit, the Durango drove into oncoming traffic, forced multiple vehicles off of the road and nearly collided with several cars that were unassociated with the pursuit.

Lewis was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Chase Burgess and Jason Waltman. He was represented by the Caddo Parish Public Defender's office.

The case was docket No. 408229.

* A Shreveport man whose criminal past prevents him from owning or possessing a firearm was convicted of that crime April 15. 

Frederick Dewayne McKinley, 32, was found guilty of attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon by a 10-man, two-woman jury in District Judge Ramona Emanuel's court after two hours of deliberation. The jury considered evidence that included videorecorded statements by the accused and testimony from three witnesses. 

Shreveport Police were at his residence for an unrelated issue and after walking through the home, secured a search warrant. After the warrant was executed, police found a firearm in a drawer.  After collecting the firearm, the officers detained McKinley and questioned him about the weapon. In video presented by the state, he told the officers it was his.

When McKinley returns to court May 20, 2026, he faces a prison term of up to seven and a half years at hard labor. 

Assistant District Attorneys Stephen Folk-Cruthirds and Fernando Grider prosecuted the case.  Royal Alexander and Dave Knadler represented McKinley.

The case was docket No. 402762.

* A Shreveport man was found guilty of possessing a stolen firearm and possession of a weapon with an obliterated serial number April 15.

The two-man, four-woman jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.'s court deliberated just over a half hour before returning its guilty verdicts against Monolo Anton Baker, 47.

On May 2nd, 2025, Shreveport police received a concerned-citizen call about an armed person waving a firearm in the intersection of Amelia and Jewella avenues. An officer observed a man fitting the description given by the caller cutting though the parking lot of a local business. Police stopped the man, Baker, and upon being searched he was found to possess three firearms. One of the weapons was determined to be stolen and a second was found to have an obliterated serial number.

Assistant District Attorneys Michael Anderson and Jason Waltman prosecuted the case. Baker was represented by the Caddo Parish Public Defender’s office.

The case was docket No. 408429.

* A Shreveport man convicted of terrorizing an elderly Shreveport woman, beating and robbing her and locking her bound in a closet in her Southern Hills home, must serve the rest of his life in prison. District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. sentenced Kendrell Quinte Thomas, 24, April 15 as a habitual offender for home invasion and cruelty to persons with infirmities. In July 2025, Thomas forced his way into the home of his victim, a 91-year-old widow. She had been found by concerned relatives early July 2, 2025, bound by wire and rope in a closet.

Thomas's victim said her assailant forced his way into the house, knocking her down and dragging her by her feet from room to room looking for money and jewelry. She said he beat her about her head, then tied her up and put her in the closet. Detectives found supporting images on nearby neighbors' cameras and from the bank, where one of the victim’s stolen checks had been cashed. Thomas was identified as the person who cashed the check, and he was arrested at his house with $1,800 in cash and belongings of the victim, clothing seen in the neighbor’s surveillance video, the backpack used in the crime and a ski mask.

Thomas also must serve 30 years on the cruelty conviction, to run concurrently with the life sentence. Both terms are to be served without benefit of probation or suspension of sentence.

Thomas was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ross Owen. He was represented by the Caddo Parish Indigent Defenders office.

The case was docket No. 409895.

* A Shreveport man on trial for sexual battery of a girl under the age of 13 pleaded guilty as charged April 14, just moments after his jury was sworn, opening statements were made and the first witness against him started to testify.

Dewayne Ray Jackson, 61, will return before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. June 29, and faces a prison term of at least 25 years at hard labor, and up to 99 years, at the judge's discretion.

In 2019, the child and her mother moved in with the maternal grandmother, who was in an intimate relationship with Jackson, who spent most of his time at the home. In 2021, the child reported that the defendant had begun calling her his girl, which made here uncomfortable. The girl complained to her grandmother after Jackson touched her inappropriately, but the grandmother allowed Jackson to remain in the home. Later, Jackson forced the child into a sex act. The child’s mother reported the incident to police and the girl described the molestation in a recorded forensic interview at the Gingerbread House. That led to Jackson's arrest in October 2023.

Assistant District Attorneys Jason Waltman and Chase Burgess prosecuted Jackson. He was represented by the Caddo Public Defender's office.

The case was docket No. 398215.

* An East Texas man who pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in February in connection with the shooting death of a friend at a Mardi Gras parade in Shreveport three years ago was sentenced April 13.

District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. sentenced Jace Greenslate, 19, of DeBerry, to serve five years in the parish jail for shooting Kip Christensen Lewis, 17, February 18, 2023. 

Judge Mosely suspended four of the five years, pending successful completion of a three-year supervised probationary period. Defense attorneys requested, and the court granted, that the probation be transferred to Texas once it begins upon Greenslate's release. The weapon was ordered forfeited and destroyed. Greenslate was remanded to Caddo Correctional Center to serve his sentence.

Greenslate, Mr. Lewis and two other friends, all from East Texas, were in Shreveport to attend the Krewe of Gemini Mardi Gras Parade and were on the Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway. Greenslate, 16 at the time, had a handgun, which one of the friends unloaded after realizing it was loaded. However, Greenslate later reloaded the weapon, pointed it at Lewis while he and friends were playing around, and fired.

Greenslate was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ross Owen. He was defended by Ron Miciotto and Sarah Giglio. 

The case was docket No. 395442.

* A Shreveport man convicted in March of groping and fondling a juvenile female at a large family gathering in 2022 was sentenced to a total prison term of 50 years April 8.

District Judge Chris Victory sentenced Willie Thomas Bryant, 69, to 40 years in prison for sexual battery of a person under age 13 and to an additional 10 years for indecent behavior with a juvenile under age 13 for the incident that occurred July 6, 2022. The terms are to be served consecutively without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. 

In the incident, Bryant fondled and groped the girl over her clothing. The child disclosed the act to older siblings and eventually to her mother, who was unaware that Bryant was a registered sex offender. Bryant was convicted of the crimes March 3.

Already a lifetime registered sex offender for a sex crime committed in the 1990s, he must register for the new convictions as well: lifetime registration for the sexual battery and 15 years for the indecent behavior.

Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray and Victoria T. Washington prosecuted the case. Michael Enright and Katie Miller defended Bryant.

The case was docket No. 404584.

* A Shreveport man charged with sexual offenses against minor victims under the age of 13 pleaded guilty April 2 following the start of his jury trial.

Victrick Frazier Johnson, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of molestation of a juvenile under the age of thirteen involving two minor children, the offenses occurring between 2014 and 2019. Following the pleading, District Judge John D. Mosley Jr. sentenced Johnson to two 40-year terms in prison, to be served concurrently.

Johnson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ron Christopher Stamps and Britney A. Green of the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit. The DA's office proceeded with prosecution despite opposition from some adult family members of the victims, who attempted to minimize the abuse and discourage the victims from coming forward. Johnson was represented by Casey Simpson.

This case underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable. The courage shown by the victims in coming forward and testifying is nothing short of extraordinary. Because of their strength, this defendant will be held responsible, and our community is safer.

The Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting children and aggressively prosecuting those who commit crimes of sexual violence.

At your service,

James E. Stewart, Sr.

Caddo Parish District Attorney