In the early morning hours of June 29, 2016, the life of John F. Darjean III, a 23-year-old Black male from Houma, Louisiana, was tragically cut short by gun violence. The events of that night unfolded into a grim tale of two separate but connected shootings that would claim two lives and injure others.
The violence began when an 18-year-old named Michael Diggs was in a vehicle with Troy Deroche and another individual. An argument erupted, and Diggs, seated in the back, opened fire, killing Deroche. Shortly after this initial burst of violence, Diggs was involved in a second shooting. It was during this subsequent incident that John F. Darjean III was fatally wounded. The shootings, which occurred within minutes of each other, left the community in shock and law enforcement searching for a motive behind the bloodshed. Two other individuals were also injured in the string of violent acts, while two others managed to escape unharmed.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed towards Michael Diggs as the primary suspect. He was apprehended and subsequently arrested. The gravity of his alleged crimes was reflected in the charges brought against him by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office. Diggs was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of John F. Darjean III and Troy Deroche. He also faced multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder, stemming from the other individuals who were targeted that night.
The case proceeded to trial, where a jury was presented with the evidence of the violent rampage. After deliberation, the jury found Michael Damonte Diggs guilty as charged on two counts of first-degree murder. For these convictions, the court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment at hard labor for each count. In addition to the life sentences for the murders, Diggs was also found guilty on several counts of attempted first-degree murder, for which he received a sentence of fifty years of imprisonment at hard labor for each count. The court ordered that all sentences would run concurrently.
