In the late hours of a March night in 2015, the life of 24-year-old Albert Gilbert, known to his friends and family as 'Droopie,' was tragically cut short on a street in Lafayette, Louisiana. A native of Carencro, Albert was a hardworking man, juggling two jobs to provide for his loved ones. He was known for his infectious humor and his vibrant personality, often being the life of any gathering.
His sudden and violent death left a void in the community, a community that would soon learn his death was the result of a senseless act of violence.
The initial call to the Lafayette Police Department came in reporting a shooting in the 300 block of Mercer Street. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Albert Gilbert suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was immediately transported to a local hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal. The investigation into his death began immediately, with detectives working to piece together the events that led to the shooting. It was quickly determined that this was not a random act of violence, but rather the culmination of an ongoing dispute between Gilbert and another man.
The investigation pointed towards Terrance L. Levine II as the primary suspect. Through their diligent work, detectives were able to establish that Levine and Gilbert had been involved in a persistent conflict. This long-standing animosity tragically escalated on that fateful March night. Just six days after Albert Gilbert's life was taken, the Lafayette Police Department, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force, located and arrested Terrance Levine. He was taken into custody without incident and subsequently booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.
Terrance Levine was charged with the second-degree murder of Albert Gilbert. The legal proceedings that followed painted a grim picture of the events that transpired. The evidence presented during the trial was compelling enough for a jury to reach a unanimous verdict. In April of 2017, Terrance L. Levine II was found guilty of second-degree murder. The conviction carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Levine later attempted to appeal his conviction, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. However, the Third Circuit Court of Appeal upheld the jury's decision, affirming the life sentence and ensuring that Terrance Levine would be held accountable for the death of Albert Gilbert.
