In the late summer of 2017, the quiet community of Starks, Louisiana, became the final resting place for a young man from Texas. On August 2nd, the body of 22-year-old Dustin Hammons was discovered in an open field near the intersection of Creek Road and Bud Bennet Road. An investigation by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office quickly determined that Hammons had been the victim of a homicide, and the circumstances surrounding his death pointed to a sinister connection to the illicit drug
trade.
Detectives traveled to Houston, Texas, to piece together the last moments of Hammons' life. They learned that he was last seen with two individuals: 45-year-old Boyd 'Lurch' Hagood and 22-year-old Ashlyn Brown, both from Baytown, Texas. Witnesses reported that Hammons left with Hagood and Brown in a car driven by Hagood and was never seen alive again. The investigation uncovered that Hammons was involved in Hagood's methamphetamine operation as a drug runner. The situation escalated when Hammons was suspected of stealing Hagood's car.
The journey from Texas to Louisiana was a harrowing one for Hammons. Tensions ran high, and at one point, another man in the car, Jason Lee Lopez, also known as 'Kasper,' assaulted Hammons and took his phone. During a stop, Hammons made a desperate attempt to escape on foot but was caught and forced back into the vehicle. A witness to the events, Ashlyn Brown, later testified that Hammons pleaded for his life as they drove. The brutal end came when he was taken to the secluded field in Starks. Trial testimony revealed the chilling detail that after being shot, Hammons screamed that he was still alive, prompting his assailants to fire more rounds to ensure his death.
The investigation, a collaborative effort involving multiple Texas law enforcement agencies including the Texas Department of Public Safety, Pasadena Police Department, Harris County Sheriff's Office, Baytown Police Department, Houston Police Department, as well as the FBI and Homeland Security, led to the arrests of Hagood and Brown in Texas on initial charges of aggravated assault. Warrants for second-degree murder were subsequently issued for them in Calcasieu Parish, with Hagood's bond set at $2.5 million and Brown's at $1.5 million. A third individual, Jason Lee Lopez, identified as an enforcer and debt collector for Hagood and a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, was also implicated in the murder.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Jason Lee Lopez was convicted for his role in the death of Dustin Hammons. He was found guilty of manslaughter and racketeering and was sentenced to a total of 60 years at hard labor, with the sentences to be served consecutively and without the possibility of probation, parole, or suspension. During Lopez's trial, Boyd Hagood was called to the stand but refused to testify. Ashlyn Brown, however, provided testimony that shed light on the events leading up to the murder. While the specific outcomes of the cases against Hagood and Brown are not detailed in the available information, the conviction of Lopez marked a significant step towards justice for the senseless and brutal killing of Dustin Hammons.
