On a tragic afternoon in Pineville, Louisiana, the life of Henry Dorty Jr., a 29-year-old African American male, was cut short. On June 1, 2021, Dorty was at the Buhlow Lake boat launch when he was shot multiple times. Despite immediate efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The Pineville Police Department received a report of a disturbance at the location shortly before 4 p.m.
and arrived to find Dorty and a witness.
The investigation into the shooting quickly identified a suspect, Henry Dorty Dubea, who was 39 years old at the time. An uninvolved witness provided officers with a description of the suspected shooter and the vehicle he was driving. Shortly after the incident, Dubea, who is described as Dorty's stepbrother or half-brother, turned himself in at the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office. He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. The initial investigation suggested that the shooting was the culmination of a domestic issue that originated in Alexandria.
Following the arrest, the legal process began, and Henry Dorty Dubea was indicted for the fatal shooting of his stepbrother. After nearly four years of court proceedings, which included an attempt at an insanity defense, Dubea pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. His sentencing was scheduled for July 21 of the following year. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to the family and community who mourned the loss of a man known for his involvement in his church and as a former star football player at Tioga High School.
