In the early morning hours of September 15, 2022, the body of 20-year-old Erion Franklin, an African American male, was discovered on a patio in a Baton Rouge, Louisiana apartment complex. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office responded to a call of a reported shooting around 6:30 a.m. on Yorkfield Drive, off of O'Neal Lane. Upon arrival, they found Franklin with a gunshot wound to his head.
Near his body, investigators located two large bags of suspected marijuana, a pair of digital scales, and a. 40 caliber ammunition round, suggesting a narcotics transaction had taken place.
The investigation into Franklin's death quickly gained momentum, aided by a tip from Crime Stoppers and witness testimony. This information led law enforcement to 18-year-old Destin Cade Brogan, also a resident of Baton Rouge. Just two weeks after the discovery of Franklin's body, on September 29, 2022, Brogan was taken into custody by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office in collaboration with the Louisiana State Police Fugitive Task Force. The weapon believed to have been stolen from Franklin at the time of the shooting, a Glock 40 handgun, was recovered during Brogan's arrest.
During questioning, Brogan admitted to shooting Franklin. He claimed that the two had met for a drug deal, during which Franklin allegedly attempted to rob him. Brogan stated that he responded by firing his own weapon, fatally wounding Franklin. He then confessed to taking Franklin's handgun after the shooting. However, investigators noted that Brogan's account of the events did not align with the evidence collected at the crime scene.
As a result of the investigation and his confession, Destin Cade Brogan was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. He faces serious charges, including First Degree Murder, Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms, and Armed Robbery. Following his arrest, a bond had not been set. The case against him is pending in the Louisiana judicial system.
