In the late summer of 2015, the life of 28-year-old Brandon Nixon, an African American man from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was cut short. On the morning of September 21st, he was shot on Coates Road in the community of Independence. Though the shooting occurred in Independence, he was ultimately found deceased in St. Francisville. The cause of his death was determined to be a homicide.
The investigation into the shooting quickly focused on a familial connection.
Authorities identified Brandon's uncle, 30-year-old Anthony Nixon, as the primary suspect. It was reported that a family dispute was the underlying motive for the tragic event. People close to the family indicated that Anthony had been making threats against his nephew, which tragically materialized on that Monday morning. Anthony Nixon had a history with law enforcement, including prior arrests for battery and inciting a riot.
Following the investigation, Anthony Nixon was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his nephew. The case was anticipated to be presented to a grand jury, and if convicted, he faced the possibility of a life sentence. While family members described Brandon as a good person who cared for his family and had been turning his life around by working two jobs and regularly attending church, it was also noted that he was a convicted sex offender, having been arrested for carnal knowledge of a juvenile approximately a decade prior. The community was left to grapple with the violent outcome of a family conflict.
