In the late days of March 2020, a grim discovery was made in a wooded area in Ruston, Louisiana. The body of 23-year-old Jalen O'Keith Holland, an African American male, was found near the intersection of Hickory Street and Fourth Street on March 27th. An investigation into his death was immediately launched by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office, and it was determined that Holland had been the victim of a homicide, having died from a gunshot wound.
This tragic event marked the second homicide in the parish in less than two weeks, leaving the community on edge.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigative Division of the Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office diligently worked the case, processing the scene for evidence and pursuing leads. Their efforts, supported by the Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team, Uniform Patrol Division, and Civil Division, spanned several weeks. The investigation pointed them toward a primary suspect, another young man from the same city.
On May 12, 2020, a significant development occurred in the case with the arrest of 23-year-old Cameron Barber of Ruston. Barber was taken into custody without incident and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Jalen Holland. Following his arrest, Barber was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
