In the festive aftermath of the annual Festival of the Bonfires on Christmas Eve 2018, the celebratory atmosphere in Lutcher, Louisiana, was shattered by gunfire. Deidrick Paul Green Jr., a 23-year-old male, was caught in the deadly eruption of violence that occurred around 11:30 p.m. outside the Neighborhood Lounge on Main Street. The chaotic scene left four people with gunshot wounds. Green was critically injured and rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Another young man, 20-year-old Thaddeus Watis, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other individuals, a 25-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy, were also wounded in the shooting but survived.
The St. James Parish Sheriff's Office responded to a scene of pandemonium, with hundreds of people present for the post-festival gathering. Initial investigations suggested that the shooting might have stemmed from a local rivalry. The tragic event cut short the life of Deidrick Green, who was a resident of Convent, Louisiana. His passing on December 26, 2018, left behind his parents, a daughter, and several siblings.
In the weeks following the shooting, law enforcement identified two suspects. On January 9, 2019, 24-year-old Tyquan Twendell Williams was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The St. James Parish Sheriff's Office also issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect, 21-year-old Jermain Lee Lewis, Jr. Lewis was considered at-large for a short period before he was apprehended in Baton Rouge with the assistance of U.S. Marshals. He was also charged with second-degree murder.
