On a summer morning in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a visiting truck driver's life was tragically cut short in what appeared to be a random act of violence. Keith Odom, a 49-year-old male from Jonesborough, Tennessee, was in the city for a delivery. On August 8, 2017, at approximately 8:00 a.m., he was in the parking lot of a strip mall located on the 12000 block of Florida Boulevard, working on a tire of his 18-wheeler as he waited to make a delivery to a local surplus warehouse.
It was then that he was confronted by an assailant.
The encounter turned deadly when Odom was shot during what investigators believe was a robbery. Even after reportedly surrendering his possessions to the robber, he was fatally wounded. Emergency services responded to the scene, and Odom was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The shocking and seemingly senseless nature of the crime, victimizing a visitor to the city, quickly drew the attention of law enforcement and the community.
The investigation into the murder of Keith Odom led the Baton Rouge Police Department to a suspect within days. They arrested 18-year-old Landry Carter in connection with the homicide. At the time of his arrest, authorities also linked Carter to a string of armed robberies that had been committed at various dollar stores across the city throughout June and July of that year.
Following his arrest, Landry Carter faced serious charges, including murder and four counts of armed robbery for the other alleged crimes. In December 2017, a grand jury formally indicted Carter on one count of murder for the death of Keith Odom, paving the way for a trial. Carter was held without bond on the murder charge.
