An 18-year-old African American male, Kenneth Young, was killed in New Orleans on December 15, 2013. A student at Landry-Walker High School, Young was the victim of a fatal shooting that unfolded in the Gentilly neighborhood. His life was cut short by multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
The grim discovery of Young's body was made in a wooded area in Slidell, Louisiana, the morning after he was killed.
Residents of a quiet neighborhood reported a suspicious white Infiniti that was backed into the woods. The vehicle was smeared with blood on its exterior and contained a significant amount of blood inside. When police opened the trunk, they found Kenneth Young’s body. The investigation quickly revealed that the car and the victim had no ties to the Slidell area, and the focus of the homicide investigation shifted back to New Orleans.
Investigators determined that Young was shot near the intersection of Peoples and Jasmine streets in Gentilly. The motive for the killing was connected to a marijuana deal that had gone wrong. Phone records were instrumental in linking Young to the individuals who would later be charged with his murder. It is believed that after he was shot, his assailants placed his body in the trunk of his own car and drove it across Lake Pontchartrain to abandon it in Slidell.
Three suspects were identified and subsequently arrested in connection with the murder. Diamante Bartholomew, who was 17 at the time, and his 21-year-old cousin, Corey Levy, were charged with second-degree murder. An 18-year-old, Jude Braud, was also arrested and charged as an accomplice. Evidence gathered by investigators included fingerprints found in the vehicle and camera footage. Following their arrests, all three men were tried for their roles in the crime. Ultimately, Diamante Bartholomew, Corey Levy, and Jude Braud were all found guilty and convicted on charges of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, and obstruction of justice.
