In what began as a day of celebration, a family was irrevocably shattered by a sudden and violent turn of events. On January 19, 2025, Latasha Thomas, a 48-year-old female and grandmother from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was preparing for a birthday brunch for her daughter. The day took a dark turn when her daughter's rental car was stolen from the driveway of their home.
While the family waited for the police to arrive, Thomas decided to take her eight-year-old grandson with her to a nearby store.
While out, Thomas spotted the stolen vehicle being driven by a group of teenagers. She immediately contacted 911 to report her discovery and began to follow the car. The pursuit came to a tragic end near the corner of Plank Road and Wyandotte Street. The teenage driver of the stolen car stopped, exited the vehicle, and walked over to Thomas's car. He then fired a weapon, fatally shooting her in front of her young grandson. The boy, who was very close to his grandmother, was left covered in her blood, screaming for his 'Momo.'
Later that same day, a 14-year-old boy, accompanied by his mother, surrendered to the Baton Rouge Police Department. He reportedly confessed to his mother what he had done, and she promptly brought him to the authorities. The teenager was arrested and booked on charges of second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon and was transported to a juvenile detention center. While the alleged shooter was in custody, police continued to investigate and search for at least two other individuals who were believed to have been inside the stolen car with him at the time of the murder. The stolen vehicle was eventually recovered after it had been set on fire.
