In the quiet town of Independence, Louisiana, the holiday season of 2018 was irrevocably shattered for one family. On the evening of December 23rd, a grim discovery was made at a home near Fontana Road and Labruzza Lane. Inside, authorities found the bodies of 13-year-old Robert West II, an African American male, and his 45-year-old mother, Daytra Miller.
Both had been fatally shot in what the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office would describe as a heinous double homicide.
Robert, a young teen known for his close relationship with both of his separated parents, was preparing to spend Christmas Eve with his father when his life was tragically cut short. The news sent ripples of shock and grief through the community. On Christmas Eve, family members gathered outside the home, their sorrow palpable as they leaned on one another for support in the face of such a devastating loss. The holiday, a time meant for joy and togetherness, was instead marked by tears and the unimaginable pain of planning funerals.
Investigators with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to the deaths of Robert and his mother. Early in the investigation, detectives stated their belief that the person or persons responsible were likely familiar with the victims. Despite this initial theory, the case proved to be a challenging one. In an effort to generate leads, a reward of $2,500 was offered by the Sheriff's Office and Crimestoppers for any information that could lead to an arrest. As time passed with no arrests, the reward was increased to $10,000, a clear indication of the commitment of law enforcement to solving the brutal crime.
Despite the increased reward and the public pleas from Robert's grieving father for anyone with information to come forward, the case has grown cold. The initial flurry of investigative activity has quieted, and to date, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in the double homicide of Robert West II and Daytra Miller. The community of Independence remains haunted by the unsolved crime, and a family continues to wait for justice for a son and mother taken from them far too soon.
