In the quiet community of Baldwin, Louisiana, the life of 25-year-old Karlnita Marks, a female resident, was tragically cut short in the early morning hours of May 30, 2020. Responding to a call about a possible shooting and an injured person at approximately 12:31 a.m., deputies from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office arrived to a grave scene. Marks had sustained a gunshot wound and was quickly transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation into her death led authorities to identify a suspect in the case. Andreniki Franklin, a 29-year-old woman from Baton Rouge, became the focus of the homicide investigation. As detectives pieced together the events of that fatal morning, evidence mounted against Franklin, culminating in the presentation of the case to a grand jury. In April of 2021, the grand jury returned an indictment, formally charging Franklin with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice through tampering with evidence.
Following the indictment, law enforcement agencies collaborated to locate and apprehend the suspect. On May 28, 2021, members of the Louisiana State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office Warrants Division located Franklin at the Mallard Crossing Apartments in Baton Rouge. She was taken into custody without incident and subsequently transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Franklin was later incarcerated at the Morgan City Jail, with her bail set at $600,000. As of early 2026, she remained in custody at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, awaiting the resolution of the charges brought against her in connection with the death of Karlnita Marks.
