In the early morning hours of July 9, 2022, the life of 22-year-old D'Ante Smoke Savoy, a Black male from Lafayette, Louisiana, was tragically cut short. Lafayette Police officers responded to a call around 1:42 a.m. in the 500 block of N. Pierce Street, where they discovered Savoy unresponsive and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate life-saving efforts of the responding officers and his transport to a local hospital, Savoy succumbed to his injuries.
The case was quickly classified as a homicide investigation.
For nearly two weeks, no suspects were publicly named as investigators worked to piece together the events of that fatal morning. Then, on July 21, 2022, a significant breakthrough was made in the case. With the assistance of the United States Marshals Service, 20-year-old Devin Celestine of Lafayette was apprehended in Houston, Texas. His arrest brought a sense of hope for justice to Savoy's grieving family and community.
Following his capture, Celestine was booked into the Harris County Jail, awaiting extradition back to Louisiana to face charges for his alleged role in Savoy's death. Authorities announced that he was wanted on warrants for one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder, suggesting another individual was also targeted in the incident. As of recent reports, Devin Celestine is still awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in the murder of D'Ante Smoke Savoy.
