In the small city of Winnsboro, Louisiana, the life of 26-year-old Quintail Credit, an African American male, was cut short on the evening of February 20, 2019. He was at his father's home when a gunman appeared and fatally shot him multiple times in front of his family. The violent end to Credit's life came at a tumultuous time, as he was entangled in a serious federal court case that cast a shadow over his past and what would have been his future.
Credit, a former correctional officer at the Richwood Correctional Center, was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiring to obstruct justice. The charges stemmed from a 2016 incident where he and other guards were involved in the physical assault of five handcuffed and kneeling inmates, using a chemical agent on them. Following the assault, Credit and his colleagues falsified reports to cover up their actions. His sentencing had been scheduled for May of the year he was killed. Following his death, the legal case against him was abated, his guilty plea was vacated, and the indictment was dismissed.
The investigation into Credit's murder quickly led authorities to a suspect. Charles Kennell III of New Orleans was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting. At the time of the arrest, the Franklin Parish Sheriff stated that a motive for the killing was not known. It was noted that Kennell was not one of the inmates who had filed a lawsuit against Credit and the other guards involved in the prison assault. The stepson of Winnsboro's police chief, Credit's death sent ripples through the local community, leaving questions about the circumstances that led to his violent demise.
