Aaron JaVon Sam, a 23-year-old male, died on August 12, 2016, during a home invasion in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In the early morning hours, police responded to a call and discovered the front door of a Lewis Street residence had been kicked in. Inside, they found Sam deceased from a gunshot wound.
Investigators determined that Sam was one of three armed men who had forced their way into the home.
Authorities clarified that the occupants of the residence were not responsible for the shooting. The investigation led to the arrests of several individuals in connection with the incident.
A grand jury later indicted Jacolby Jerome Cunigan, then 23, and Jeremy Romaine LeBlanc, then 26, on charges of second-degree murder. Prosecutors alleged that Cunigan and LeBlanc were responsible for Sam's death. Another man, former McNeese State University quarterback Daniel Dherrell Sams, 24 at the time, was indicted on a charge of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. Another initial suspect's charges were later rejected. In February 2018, Cunigan was released from jail to await trial after his defense attorney argued his right to a speedy trial had been violated.
