In the early summer of 2021, the life of 18-year-old Za’Niyahia Theus was tragically cut short in Shreveport, Louisiana. On the first of June, the young woman was discovered in a grim scene, having been left for dead behind a dumpster at a housing complex located on Lakeshore Drive. She was found with a single, devastating gunshot wound to her head.
Emergency services responded to the discovery, and Za’Niyahia was rushed to Ochsner LSU Health.
There, in the neurological intensive care unit, medical staff fought to save her life. For over two weeks, she clung to life, a testament to her will to survive. However, the severity of her injury was too great, and on the evening of Wednesday, June 16, 2021, Za’Niyahia Theus succumbed to her wound and passed away.
In the wake of her death, the Shreveport Police Department opened a homicide investigation into the shooting of the young woman. Authorities publicly appealed for assistance, urging anyone with information regarding the circumstances that led to Za’Niyahia being shot and left behind the ARC of Caddo-Bossier to come forward. A cash reward was offered through the Caddo Parish-Shreveport Crime Stoppers program in an effort to encourage potential witnesses to share what they knew, with the promise of anonymity.
Despite the public call for help and the ongoing investigation, there have been no subsequent announcements regarding any arrests made in connection with the murder of Za’Niyahia Theus. Information about any potential suspects or persons of interest has not been released to the public. The case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for her family and the Shreveport community, a stark reminder of a young life violently ended, with those responsible yet to be held accountable for their actions.
