In the quiet city of Monroe, Louisiana, a life was tragically cut short on a Saturday night. Derrick Cowart, a 20-year-old male, was inside a residence at 406 Magnolia Street on November 13, 2021, when violence erupted. Shortly after 11 p.m., officers from the Monroe Police Department were dispatched to the scene in response to a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered that Cowart had sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation into the death of Derrick Cowart was swift.
Detectives with the Monroe Police Department immediately began canvassing the area, speaking with potential witnesses and gathering evidence from the scene. Their efforts quickly pointed them toward a person of interest, and an arrest was made in connection with the deadly shooting. The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Jalen Michalski.
Following his arrest, Jalen Michalski was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Derrick Cowart. He was subsequently booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center. The motive for the shooting was not immediately released to the public as the investigation continued. The case would then move to the courts to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused and to seek justice for Derrick Cowart and his grieving family.