On an August afternoon in 2021, 18-year-old Aaron Brown, a male student at Bogalusa High School, had just stepped off the school bus and was walking home. As he stood at the corner of Dan Street and Hickory Avenue, a vehicle approached, and gunfire erupted. Brown was struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. The incident was a drive-by shooting that left the community shaken and a family devastated.
The investigation into the murder of Aaron Brown, led by the Bogalusa
Police Department and the Louisiana State Police, slowly pieced together the events of that tragic day. It was revealed that this was not a random act of violence, but a planned attack. Text messages between the perpetrators showed they had intentions of shooting someone as students walked home from school. The investigation identified three individuals involved in the crime.
In February 2023, authorities announced the arrests of three suspects. Andrew Pernell, 18 at the time of the shooting, was charged with First Degree Murder, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder, and Fraudulent Purchase of a Firearm. Matthew Kennedy, in his mid-20s, faced charges of Principal to First Degree Murder and Fraudulent Purchase of a Firearm. A 17-year-old juvenile was also charged with First Degree Murder and Criminal Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder. One of the suspects, Jayden Brister, who was a juvenile at the time of the crime, was later charged as an adult.
The legal proceedings that followed brought some measure of justice for Aaron Brown's family. Jayden Brister pleaded guilty to his role in the murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Andrew Pernell's case went to trial, where a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, and assault by drive-by shooting. His conviction carried a mandatory life sentence. Pernell's violent spree also included firing nearly two dozen shots at a residence with children inside and shooting and injuring a 13-year-old boy who had also just gotten off a school bus. Text messages presented during the trial revealed Pernell's chilling words, including one stating he 'had an AR and needed a body.'
