In December 2018, the life of 55-year-old Julius Thomas Sr. was tragically cut short in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His body, wrapped in a tarp, was discovered dumped on South Flannery Road. An investigation swiftly led authorities to a local business, King of Karz LA, owned by Kevin Hewitt Dukes, who was 42 at the time. Evidence, including the presence of blood and a shell casing at the auto shop, as well as blood on Dukes' vehicle at his home, pointed to the likelihood that Thomas was killed at
the business location.
Family members of Thomas informed investigators that he and Dukes had been involved in an ongoing financial dispute. They reported last hearing from Thomas as he was arriving at Dukes' business on the evening his body was found. Phone records further substantiated the connection, showing a call from Dukes to Thomas shortly before his death. Based on this evidence, Dukes was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice in connection with Thomas's death.
The legal proceedings that followed painted a complex picture of the events. Prosecutors argued that Dukes had killed his former employee over a monetary debt and then attempted to dispose of the body. They presented evidence during an eight-day trial, including testimony from witnesses who supported the claim that Thomas had been severely beaten and shot multiple times. A key piece of evidence for the prosecution was a receipt with Thomas's blood on it, which they alleged was in Dukes' possession.
However, Dukes' defense team countered the prosecution's narrative, arguing that the evidence was purely circumstantial. They proposed an alternative theory, suggesting that Thomas was caught in the crossfire during a robbery attempt at the auto shop. The defense also pointed to what they characterized as a flawed and biased investigation by the sheriff's office. After deliberating for approximately five hours, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on all charges, and Kevin Dukes was acquitted in August 2024. The verdict was met with devastation by Thomas's family, who felt the evidence against Dukes was substantial.
