In the late hours of a Sunday night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the life of Ryan Hord, a 41-year-old male, was tragically cut short. On April 26, 2020, Hord, a white male and a former Baton Rouge police officer, confronted a man he suspected of breaking into vehicles in his neighborhood on Richland Avenue. This courageous act led to an exchange of gunfire, and Hord was fatally wounded, dying at the scene.
He was a man known for his dedication to his community, a trait that followed him from his service as an Airborne Ranger in the United States Army and his time with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and the Baton Rouge Police Department. After his career in law enforcement, he started his own construction company and was a beloved figure in his neighborhood, known for his quick wit and compassionate spirit.
The suspect, who was also injured in the shootout, fled the scene on foot. He was later apprehended by a Baton Rouge Police Department K-9 officer and taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. Authorities identified the man as 29-year-old Craig Willis, who lived on a nearby street. Following his release from the hospital, Willis was arrested and faced serious charges for his role in the death of Ryan Hord.
Initially, the plan was to charge Craig Willis with first-degree murder. However, in August 2020, a grand jury indicted him on charges of second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and simple burglary. The legal process continued, and in August 2024, Willis was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter, as well as burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. For his crimes, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The case brought to light the dangers residents face when confronting criminal activity and left a community to mourn the loss of a devoted father and community-minded individual.
