In the early morning hours of December 6, 2020, a trip to a gas station in Shreveport, Louisiana, turned fatal for Eric D. Brownlee Jr., a 22-year-old male. The incident occurred just before 2:30 a.m. at the Clark gas station on Jewella Avenue. Brownlee, accompanied by his fiancée of eight years, Nakia Hall, pulled up to the gas pumps. While Hall went inside the convenience store, Brownlee engaged in conversation with some acquaintances near the entrance.
The situation escalated quickly
when a group of four to five individuals reportedly began physically attacking Brownlee. Alerted to the commotion, Hall exited the store and witnessed the assault. In an attempt to defend her fiancé, she drew a handgun and shouted for them to stop. However, she was tackled and disarmed. It was during this chaotic altercation that a single gunshot was fired, striking Brownlee in the upper body. A 21-year-old female also sustained abrasions during the incident.
Shreveport Police and emergency services arrived at the scene to find Brownlee with a life-threatening injury. He was rushed to Ochsner LSU Health hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his wound. An investigation was immediately launched by violent crimes detectives.
Through their investigation, authorities identified TraDavion Deanthony Hughes as the primary suspect in the shooting. On December 9, 2020, just three days after the incident, investigators located and apprehended Hughes. Following an interrogation, he was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder.
TraDavion Hughes was indicted for the second-degree murder of Eric Brownlee Jr. on March 25, 2021. His trial took place from October 30 to November 1, 2023. After hearing the evidence presented, a jury convicted Hughes of the charge. Subsequently, he was sentenced to life in prison at hard labor without the possibility of parole or suspension of sentence. An appeal of his conviction was later affirmed.
