In a tragic turn of events on August 22, 2016, a 24-year-old African American woman named Laquintina Qualls of Rayville, Louisiana, was killed in West Monroe. The harrowing incident unfolded inside a Shell gas station bathroom located on LA-546 near Interstate 20. Earlier, Qualls had contacted a coworker, revealing she was being held at gunpoint by a man in her car, prompting the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office to issue an alert for her vehicle.
Responding to reports of gunfire,
deputies from the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office arrived at the gas station to find Qualls deceased. An autopsy later confirmed she died from three gunshot wounds, one to the head above her left eyebrow and two to the back of her head, fired at close range in what was described as a gruesome, execution-style killing. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the suspect flee in a vehicle, heading west on I-20.
A short time later, law enforcement officers in the neighboring Lincoln Parish apprehended the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Isaac T. Gee, also of Rayville. Following a traffic stop on I-20, Gee abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot, leading officers on a chase through a brickyard and a wooded area before he was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder.
On October 14, 2016, a bill of indictment was filed against Isaac T. Gee for the second-degree murder of Laquintina Qualls. His trial commenced in January 2022, and after four days of proceedings, a jury found him guilty. Gee was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. He later appealed his conviction, but it was affirmed by the court.
