On the night of May 21, 2021, a party on Mike Talley Road in Pearl River, Louisiana, ended in tragedy, claiming the life of 20-year-old Nicholas Livingston, a White/Caucasian male. As the gathering was breaking up, an altercation erupted, followed by gunfire. Livingston was struck and pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into the shooting that shattered the community.
Detectives interviewed numerous
individuals who were present at the party and gathered evidence that led them to identify three suspects: 19-year-old Amarjaye Thomas, 18-year-old Jawaun Gaines, and 20-year-old Malike Batiste. Investigators determined that during the altercation, the three men fired into a crowd of people, with one of the bullets fatally wounding Nicholas Livingston. Warrants were issued for their arrest on one count each of second-degree murder. Thomas and Gaines were apprehended at their homes in the Slidell area, and Batiste was taken into custody on the south shore shortly after.
In February 2022, a St. Tammany Parish grand jury indicted Amarjaye Thomas on charges of second-degree murder, two counts of obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence, and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies. The same grand jury indicted Jawaun Gaines for obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence. Another individual, Brock Christopher Bozant, was also indicted on charges of obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence and for being an accessory after the fact.
In December 2022, Jawaun Gaines pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for removing the murder weapon from the scene and attempting to persuade a witness to provide false testimony. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. At the emotional sentencing hearing, Livingston's mother, father, and step-mother gave victim impact statements. His mother, addressing Gaines, stated, “You may not have pulled the trigger, but you are no different than your friend who did. Every time your cell door slams shut, may it be a reminder to you of what you were a part of.” Following the sentencing, Livingston's father and step-mother expressed on social media that they had received 'a small victory today in the pursuit of justice for Nick.” The trials for the other two defendants were reported to be pending at that time.
