In the quiet community of Houma, Louisiana, the life of 19-year-old Jaken James Roussel was tragically cut short on the evening of Tuesday, September 9, 2025. A native and resident of the area, Jaken was a young man who found joy in the simple pleasures of fishing, hunting, and spending cherished moments with his family and friends. His sudden and violent death sent ripples of grief through his close-knit circle and the wider community, leaving behind a legacy of warmth and a profound sense of
loss.
The events of that fateful evening unfolded shortly after 6:00 p.m. in an apartment located in the 700 block of Bayou Gardens Boulevard. Responding to reports of multiple gunshots, deputies from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office arrived to a grim scene. Inside the residence, they discovered Jaken Roussel, who had sustained apparent gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Alongside him, an 18-year-old female victim was found with critical injuries. She was swiftly transported to an out-of-area hospital for medical attention, her life hanging in the balance.
The investigation into the double shooting was immediately launched by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Detectives. Their diligent work over the following days led to the identification and subsequent arrest of three suspects in connection with the fatal shooting. Kendell Michael Gale, 27, of Vacherie, was located at his residence with the assistance of the St. James Parish Sheriff's Office. Nicholas Anthony Chopin, 19, of Geismar, was apprehended in the Lafayette area with the cooperation of multiple local agencies. The third suspect, 18-year-old Joshua Joseph Domino, also from Vacherie, turned himself in to authorities in Dallas, Texas, after learning of the outstanding warrants for his arrest. All three men face serious charges of First-Degree Murder and Attempted First-Degree Murder. Gale and Chopin were transferred to the custody of Terrebonne Parish and jailed without bond, while authorities began the extradition process to bring Domino back to Louisiana to face the charges against him.
