On a Tuesday evening in Baker, Louisiana, a dispute simmering over a party advertisement tragically escalated, leading to the death of 20-year-old Richard Devon Phillips. On May 3, 2016, Phillips was walking with a friend, Walter Williams Jr., to a store near the intersection of West Azalea Avenue and Baker Boulevard. Their path was interrupted by a vehicle carrying 19-year-old MacArthur Johnson and 19-year-old Charmaine Wilson.
An ongoing disagreement between Johnson and Phillips's brother concerning a party flyer had created tension between the two young men.
As the vehicle approached, Phillips moved toward the car and confronted Johnson, who was seated in the passenger seat. In a sudden turn of events, Johnson allegedly opened fire, striking Phillips twice in the chest. As chaos erupted, Phillips and Williams fled on foot. Phillips was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
In the immediate aftermath, both MacArthur Johnson and Charmaine Wilson surrendered to the Baker Police Department. Johnson claimed he shot Phillips in self-defense, a statement that investigators would later question. According to police, video footage from the scene did not align with Johnson's account of how Phillips had approached the vehicle. Williams, Phillips's friend, initially told police he was unarmed, but an eyewitness reported seeing him with a handgun as he fled. Williams later led investigators to where he had hidden the weapon.
Following an investigation into the shooting, MacArthur Johnson was charged with second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon, and obstruction of justice. Charmaine Wilson faced charges of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice. Walter Williams Jr. was also charged with obstruction of justice. However, in 2017, a grand jury decided not to indict Johnson on the charges, meaning they did not find enough evidence to proceed with a trial. While this decision halted the prosecution, it does not prevent the possibility of future charges if new evidence were to come to light.
