In the fall of 2021, a promising young life was tragically cut short in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Shayla James, a 19-year-old female student at Southern University, was found dead in her apartment at The Oliver apartments on October 19, 2021. The cause of her death was a fatal gunshot wound.
The initial report to authorities came from James's 21-year-old live-in boyfriend, Kenyon Walker.
He placed a 911 call shortly before 1:30 p.m., claiming that he had heard a gunshot and then discovered his girlfriend suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. When first responders arrived at the scene, Shayla James was pronounced deceased.
As investigators from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office began to delve into the circumstances surrounding James's death, Walker was taken into custody for questioning. During the interrogation, his initial account of the events unraveled. Walker ultimately admitted to shooting and killing his girlfriend. The motive for the tragic incident appeared to stem from a conversation where James had expressed her unhappiness in their relationship and had indicated a desire to leave him.
Following his confession, Kenyon Walker was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail. He was charged with second-degree murder and domestic abuse battery in connection with the death of Shayla James.
