In the early morning hours of December 20, 2011, in Monroe, Louisiana, the life of 23-year-old Andre Cornelius Alexander, an African American male, was tragically cut short. Deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting on Dellwood Drive, where they found Alexander suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The attack was violent and deliberate, with one of the wounds being to his head.
Andre Cornelius Alexander was pronounced dead on December 21, 2011.
The investigation into the murder quickly led to a suspect, Michael Lorenzo Barnett, Jr. Barnett was arrested and subsequently charged with second-degree murder in connection with Alexander's death. On February 9, 2012, a grand jury indicted Barnett on the charge, and the case began its journey through the legal system. The prosecution built a case that included physical evidence and witness testimonies aimed at proving Barnett's guilt. An autopsy report presented during the legal proceedings revealed that Alexander had been shot a total of five times.
Over the course of the next several years, the case proceeded to trial. Despite attempts by the defense to delay the proceedings and file motions to have the indictment quashed, the case moved forward. In August 2016, the trial concluded with the court finding that Michael Lorenzo Barnett, Jr. had the specific intent to kill Andre Cornelius Alexander, as evidenced by the multiple gunshot wounds. Barnett was found guilty as charged of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
