On a summer evening in 2018, a birthday celebration in Beaver, Louisiana, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 48-year-old DeLanzo Veal. The male victim was at a party on June 23, 2018, when a verbal dispute erupted between him and another guest, Brandon Perkins. The argument escalated, leading Perkins to leave the gathering, only to return shortly after with a handgun. He then fired three shots, striking Veal twice in the chest and once in the arm.
Despite being rushed to Oakdale Hospital, DeLanzo Veal succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
Following the shooting, the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office arrested Brandon Perkins. He was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated second-degree battery and was held at the Evangeline Parish Jail without bond. The investigation into Veal's death, however, was not without controversy. Veal's family expressed concerns that the investigation was 'tainted,' particularly because a high-ranking official at the sheriff's office, who was in charge of security at the event where the shooting occurred, was also involved in the investigation. They voiced fears that potential evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA on a shell casing, was not being properly handled. Adding to the complexity of the case, the sole eyewitness who claimed to have seen Perkins shoot Veal, Jonas Vigers, was found dead over Labor Day weekend of what was suspected to be alcohol poisoning before he could testify.
The legal proceedings against Brandon Perkins culminated in a trial in March 2023. After five hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on the charges of second-degree murder and second-degree battery. While the verdict brought relief to Perkins and his supporters, it left the family of DeLanzo Veal continuing to grieve their loss. The community and family had called for a thorough and unbiased investigation from the outset, a plea that highlighted their quest for justice in the wake of the violent encounter that cut DeLanzo Veal's life short.
