On a tragic Memorial Day evening in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, what began as a gathering by a pool turned into a scene of senseless violence that claimed the life of 20-year-old Reginald Elroy Thomas. It was May 31, 2021, at the Fairway View Apartments on College Drive, where Thomas, along with a 16-year-old named Dewayne Dunn Jr., became the targets of a deadly confrontation.
The attack also resulted in the death of a one-year-old girl, Ja'Tyri Brown, who was playing nearby.
Eyewitnesses reported that at least two gunmen entered the gated pool area and confronted Thomas and Dunn. A brief struggle ensued before the assailants opened fire, striking both men multiple times. Thomas and Dunn were pronounced dead at the scene. The infant, Ja'Tyri Brown, was struck by a stray bullet and later succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital. Investigators learned that after the shooting, the gunmen stole a weapon from one of the deceased victims. It was also revealed that this was not Thomas's first encounter with gun violence; he had survived a previous shooting incident in Baker.
The investigation into the triple homicide led to the arrests of two brothers, David Williams and Ladarius Coleman. Both were subsequently charged with three counts of second-degree murder. Prosecutors argued that the motive behind the killings was the perpetrators' desire to steal firearms that Thomas and Dunn possessed.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, both brothers were held accountable for their roles in the tragic event. Ladarius Coleman, who was 15 at the time of the crime, was tried, and in August 2024, a jury found him guilty on all three counts of second-degree murder. He was later sentenced to life in prison. His brother, David Williams, also faced trial and was found guilty of the second-degree murders of Reginald Thomas, Dewayne Dunn Jr., and Ja'Tyri Brown. During his trial, Williams offered an apology to the family of the young girl, a sentiment that was met with anguish by her grieving grandmother.
