In the summer of 2020, the life of 36-year-old Wayne Joseph Bourliea Jr., a white male, was brought to a tragic and violent end in Hammond, Louisiana. On the morning of July 29th, a distressing scene was discovered inside the Z-Equipment store on Highway 190. A caller reported finding a man lying in a pool of blood, and when deputies from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office arrived, they identified the victim as Bourliea, an employee of the business.
The initial investigation revealed
that Bourliea had been shot multiple times shortly before 8 a.m. The perpetrator or perpetrators had fled the scene before law enforcement's arrival, leaving behind a community to grapple with the sudden loss of a man known affectionately as 'Bubba.' Bourliea was a father of three, an ironworker, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
The investigation into the homicide led authorities to a suspect. Dedrick Charles Labee, a 61-year-old man from the nearby town of Tickfaw, was arrested in connection with the death of Wayne Bourliea Jr. He faced serious charges, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and obstruction of justice, marking a significant development in the pursuit of answers for a grieving family and community.
