In the fading daylight of a Memorial Day weekend in Baton Rouge, a family basketball game turned into a scene of tragedy, claiming the life of 35-year-old Andre Guy. On the evening of May 27, 2018, an argument erupted during the gathering on South Afton Parkway. The heated exchange escalated to gunfire, and in the chaos, Guy was struck in the leg. He was privately transported to a local hospital, but the single gunshot wound proved to be fatal.
A second individual was also shot multiple times in the lower extremities but was expected to survive their injuries.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was chaotic, with the suspect fleeing the scene before law enforcement arrived. Witnesses reported seeing a car speeding away from the residence. The investigation into Andre Guy's death quickly pointed towards 30-year-old Johnny Sanford as the primary suspect. A manhunt ensued, leading investigators to a home where Sanford was hiding in the attic rafters. Upon his capture, Sanford admitted to being involved in an exchange of gunfire with Guy. He also confessed to dismantling the firearm he used and discarding it in the Mississippi River in an attempt to conceal the evidence.
Following his arrest, Johnny Sanford was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and obstruction of justice. The woman who assisted in hiding him, 42-year-old Tabbita Reed, with whom Sanford shared a child, was also taken into custody. Reed faced charges of being an accessory to murder after the fact for her role in concealing Sanford from authorities. The community was left to mourn the loss of Andre Guy, a man whose life was cut short during what should have been a peaceful family gathering.
