In the small community of Lake Arthur, Louisiana, Christmas Day of 2016 was shattered by a violent act that ended the life of 41-year-old Shaft Francis. An African American male, Francis was at a family gathering when a dispute escalated into a fatal confrontation. Just before 6 p.m., police were dispatched to a residence in the 500 block of New Orleans Avenue following reports of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Shaft Francis with a gunshot wound to his chest; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The ensuing investigation quickly identified the shooter as Francis's own cousin, 40-year-old Ray Brister Jr. In an interview with authorities, Brister admitted to shooting his cousin. The argument that preceded the deadly encounter was reportedly over family property. Investigators recovered a. 380 semi-automatic pistol near the location of the incident.
Following the investigation, Ray Brister Jr. was arrested and faced serious charges for his role in his cousin's death. He was charged with manslaughter and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and was subsequently booked into the Jefferson Davis Parish jail. On February 13, 2017, a Bill of Information was filed, officially charging Brister with both counts. During the legal proceedings, Brister claimed that he had acted in self-defense, alleging previous hostile encounters with Francis. Ultimately, on November 13, 2018, Brister entered an Alford plea to both the manslaughter and firearm possession charges, with an agreed-upon sentencing cap of thirty-five years.
