In the late autumn of 2019, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace of a November day in Eunice, Louisiana, leaving a young man's life cut tragically short. De'omaante Frank, a 21-year-old male, was riding his bicycle along East Maple Avenue when a vehicle suddenly pulled alongside him. Multiple shots were fired from the vehicle, and at least one struck Frank, inflicting a mortal wound.
The proximity of the shooting to Central Middle School prompted a precautionary lockdown of the campus, highlighting the brazen and public nature of the attack. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Frank succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on November 4, 2019.
The investigation into the shooting, which authorities characterized as a possible retaliatory gang action, moved swiftly. Within a week of the incident, the Eunice Police Department had a suspect in custody. Demyron L. Skinner, who was 19 years old at the time of the shooting, was arrested and charged in connection with Frank's death. The investigation did not end with Skinner's arrest. More than a week later, a second individual was apprehended. Lainey Claire Lomas, an 18-year-old student at Eunice High School, was taken into custody and accused of driving the vehicle used in the fatal shooting.
The legal process saw Demyron L. Skinner indicted for second-degree murder. His case proceeded to trial in St. Landry Parish, where a jury ultimately convicted him of the lesser charge of manslaughter in April 2023. This conviction carried a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison. Later that month, Skinner was sentenced for his role in the death of De'omaante Frank. Lainey Claire Lomas was also indicted on a charge of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder, a charge that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
