Ezekiel 'Zeke' Joubert, a 35-year-old man from Lake Charles, Louisiana, was fatally shot on the evening of June 19, 2021. His body was discovered in the middle of the road near the intersection of Albert and Elder streets. The incident prompted a swift investigation by the Lake Charles Police Department, leading to an arrest the very next day.
Responding to 911 calls about gunshots in the area, officers arrived to find Joubert unresponsive.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a red Monte Carlo fleeing the area shortly after the shots were fired. This crucial piece of information, coupled with video surveillance from the vicinity, allowed law enforcement to quickly identify a suspect. Lake Charles Police SWAT members located and arrested 30-year-old Steven D. Rigmaiden.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Rigmaiden had shot Joubert from his vehicle. While the motive for the shooting was not detailed, witness testimony suggested that Joubert may have known his assailant, as he was seen approaching the car before the shots rang out. Investigators recovered bullet casings at the scene that matched ammunition later found by police.
In June 2023, a jury found Steven D. Rigmaiden guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Ezekiel Joubert. Following the conviction, Rigmaiden was sentenced to life in prison. An appeal to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal was later denied, upholding the initial conviction and sentence.
