In the quiet community of Vacherie, Louisiana, a devastating series of events unfolded on December 2, 2017, culminating in the tragic death of 47-year-old Reynald Jackson. The male victim was discovered face down near the Wag-A-Pac convenience store on Louisiana 20, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the prompt response of St. James Parish Sheriff's Office deputies, Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation swiftly identified a suspect close to home:
Reynald Jackson's 26-year-old stepson, Rojae Dumas. In a surprising turn, Dumas voluntarily surrendered to the St. James Parish Sheriff's Office shortly after the shooting. He was subsequently booked into the parish jail as the primary suspect in his stepfather's death.
The legal process moved forward, and on February 26, 2018, a St. James Parish Grand Jury returned a True Bill of Indictment against Rojae Dumas for second-degree murder. This indictment formally charged him with the killing of his stepfather, setting the stage for a trial. The case proceeded through the justice system, and on September 19, 2019, a jury found Dumas, then 28, guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Following the conviction, on November 18, 2019, Rojae Dumas was sentenced to 25 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections, with credit for time already served.
