In the winter of 2015, the life of 29-year-old Benny 'Durell' Booker of Galvez, Louisiana, was tragically cut short in a double homicide in Donaldsonville. On January 26, 2015, Booker and 37-year-old Chad Nichols were found murdered. The investigation into their deaths quickly pointed to a motive rooted in the drug trade, with heroin discovered at the scene of the crime.
This discovery steered the direction of the subsequent police work, painting a grim picture of the events that led to the two men's untimely deaths.
The investigation that followed was a multi-agency effort that spanned several months and jurisdictions. A significant break in the case came when a vehicle stolen from the murder scene was found burned out in New Orleans. Surveillance footage from near the scene captured a white BMW speeding away along with the stolen vehicle, providing investigators with crucial leads. This evidence helped law enforcement piece together the movements of the individuals involved in the moments surrounding the murders.
Over the course of the investigation, five suspects were identified and taken into custody in connection with the double murder. In August 2015, authorities arrested 26-year-old Quinton Jackson in New Orleans. This was followed by the apprehension of 35-year-old Marlon Williams in Assumption Parish in October of the same year. Just days later, 28-year-old Eric Bernard and 23-year-old Thaddeus Nathan were also located and arrested in New Orleans. The final suspect, Demond Foley, was apprehended in April 2016, also in New Orleans, through a joint effort between the New Orleans Police Department and U.S. Marshals. All five men were subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
