In the fall of 2020, a sudden act of violence cut short the life of Brian Keith Dawson, a 54-year-old man in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On the evening of November 20th, what began as a robbery escalated into a fatal shooting on Aster Street. The incident was one of five homicides that tragically occurred in a single day, shaking the community.
Responding to reports of the shooting at around 9 p.m., Baton Rouge Police arrived at the 1000 block of Aster Street to find that Dawson had been
shot and killed. The investigation into his death moved swiftly, and authorities quickly identified two individuals in connection with the crime. Shortly after the shooting, police officers arrested 25-year-old Dereck Hayes and a 15-year-old male juvenile.
Both Hayes and the teenager were initially booked on charges of first-degree murder. The juvenile, later identified as Johnny Brown, would face a significant legal decision when the court determined he would be tried as an adult. In March of 2021, a grand jury indicted both Johnny Brown and Dereck Hayes on the charge of second-degree murder for their roles in the death of Brian Dawson. Following their arrests, both suspects were held in jail.
