In the Susan Park neighborhood of Kenner, Louisiana, a simmering feud between two men escalated into a fatal encounter on October 7, 2015. Cornel L. Woods, a male resident of the area, was shot and killed, a tragic end to a dispute that had begun with a verbal altercation. The man responsible for his death, Albert “Wayne” Cox, would later be brought to justice for his actions.
The day of the shooting, Woods and a close friend were sitting in Woods' truck when Cox approached them.
An argument ensued, with heated words exchanged between Woods and Cox. Following the initial confrontation, Cox walked away, but not before threatening to return and pistol-whip Woods. A short time later, Cox was seen walking back in the direction of Woods' home, his demeanor and attire changed, now dressed in all black with one hand concealed in his pocket.
The situation came to a tragic conclusion when Cox, armed with a handgun, confronted Woods and fired a single shot, striking him in the chest. Woods was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries. The Kenner Police Department quickly identified Cox as the primary suspect and, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals, apprehended him at a bus station in Baton Rouge the following day. During the investigation, a witness who was on the phone with Woods at the time of the shooting reported hearing the fatal shot and Woods' final words.
Albert 'Wayne' Cox was charged with second-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. In April 2017, a jury found him guilty as charged on both counts. Subsequently, Cox was sentenced to a mandatory life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence for the murder of Cornel L. Woods. He received an additional fifteen-year sentence for the firearm charge, to be served consecutively with his life sentence.
