In a tragic turn of events on February 13, 2015, 25-year-old Richard Erness Prenell of Alexandria, Louisiana, lost his life to gun violence. An altercation that began between roommates escalated into a double homicide, claiming the life of Prenell and 18-year-old Kiasha Clovis.
The incident unfolded as Melissa Hayes was moving out of the apartment she shared with Clovis. Assisting Hayes were her boyfriend, Devonte Davis, her sister Myra Hayes, and her brother, Mark Will Hayes.
A heated argument erupted between Melissa Hayes and Clovis. Prenell, who was Clovis's boyfriend, became involved in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
Mark Will Hayes arrived at the apartment armed with a pistol. Upon entering, he found the ongoing dispute and shot Prenell multiple times. After shooting Prenell, Mark Hayes expressed a desire to eliminate any witnesses and proceeded to also shoot and kill Kiasha Clovis. Police arrived to find both Prenell and Clovis deceased from gunshot wounds.
Following an investigation, Mark Will Hayes was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. His sister, Melissa Hayes, was also implicated in the death of Kiasha Clovis. In February 2017, a jury found Mark Will Hayes guilty as charged. The court subsequently sentenced him to serve two concurrent life sentences for the murders of Richard Prenell and Kiasha Clovis.
