Smith brothers guilty of 2023 slaying

A Caddo Parish jury deliberated more than two hours Friday, February 13, 2026, before judging that two Shreveport brothers killed a man in 2023.

The six-woman, six-man jury in District Judge Chris Victory's court heard testimony and considered evidence to determine that Roderick Dewayne Smith Jr., 21, and Ramarion Jarick Smith, 20, shot Jamani Dervon Johnson Jr., 21, six times in the back June 19, 2023, outside his dwelling at the Jolie Apartment in the 1000 block of Quail Creek Road. The verdict was unanimous.

The charges against the Smith brothers, second-degree murder, mean the two will face mandatory life terms in prison at hard labor, with no benefit of probation of reduction of sentence upon sentencing in Judge Victory's court February 26, 2026. While Roderick Smith will not be eligible for parole, Ramarion Smtih was a juvenile at the time of the slaying and so he will be eligible at some point for parole.

The Smith brothers were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William Edwards and Victoria Washington. Roderick Smith Jr. was defended by Michael Enright. Ramarion Smith was defended by Richard "T-Dale" Wolbert. 

The case was docket No. 404948.