In the evening hours of March 8, 2017, a Black/African American man named Decoty Joseph, age 28, was fatally shot during a home invasion in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The incident occurred at his residence on Lorraine Street around 6:30 p.m. An armed man forced his way into the home that Joseph shared with his fiancée and their three children, demanding money and jewelry.
During the robbery, the intruder opened fire, striking Joseph multiple times, including in the chest.
His 26-year-old fiancée was also shot but sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Tragically, the couple's three young children were present in the home at the time of the violent encounter. Family members described Joseph as a kind-hearted and free-hearted man who loved his kids and always put his family first. They indicated that he and his fiancée had recently gotten engaged and had lived in the home for about four years after moving from New Roads.
In the course of the investigation, Baton Rouge Police identified a suspect. The surviving victim recognized the assailant as someone who had been to their home on previous occasions, including at least twice in the week leading up to the shooting. This information led to the arrest of 28-year-old Christopher Earl Gremillion.
Gremillion was taken into custody and subsequently faced charges for his alleged role in the deadly home invasion. He was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and armed robbery.
