On a tragic day in July of 1985, the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, was rocked by a brutal crime that claimed the life of Jerry Culbert, a 25-year-old male. Culbert was one of four victims in a horrific quadruple homicide that unfolded inside a home on East 72nd Street. The discovery was made on the morning of July 19, when a relative entered the residence to find a scene of unimaginable violence.
Inside the house, investigators found the bodies of Jerry Culbert, his sister Vivian
Chaney, 34, her 15-year-old daughter Carlitha Culbert, and Vivian's boyfriend, Billy Joe Harris, 28. The crime was marked by extreme brutality. Jerry Culbert had been shot once in the head as he slept in his bed. The other victims were also found in different parts of the house, having suffered similarly violent fates. The scene suggested a calculated and ruthless attack, leaving the community in fear and shock.
The investigation into the quadruple murder led authorities to Nathaniel Code, who would later be identified as a serial killer. Evidence connected Code to this and other violent crimes in the Shreveport area. He was charged with four counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Jerry Culbert and the other three victims. During the trial, prosecutors presented a compelling case that detailed Code's responsibility for the heinous acts.
Ultimately, a jury found Nathaniel Code guilty on all four counts of first-degree murder. The evidence presented during the trial painted a grim picture of the events that transpired in the Chaney-Culbert home. For his crimes, Nathaniel Code was sentenced to death. He has remained on death row, with numerous appeals over the years. The case of Jerry Culbert and his family remains a dark chapter in Shreveport's history, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of violent crime.
