On a summer afternoon in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, the quiet of the Lakeside Circle neighborhood was shattered by gunfire that claimed the life of 17-year-old Marvin Wells, a Black/African American male. On July 20, 2025, Wells was walking with another 17-year-old when a car approached, and its occupants opened fire. The shooting, which occurred around midday, also injured the other teen and a 59-year-old man who was on his porch nearby.
All three victims were transported to North Oaks Medical Center, where Marvin Wells succumbed to his injuries. The other two victims were treated for their injuries and were listed in stable condition before being released. The incident marked the first homicide of the year for the small Tangipahoa Parish town.
The investigation into the targeted, daylight drive-by shooting moved swiftly, with law enforcement acting on tips and information from social media. Witnesses reported seeing a black Cadillac in the area in the weeks leading up to the attack. The day after the shooting, a parish special response team located the suspects at a residence off Olan Bankston Road in Kentwood. After a brief search and a chase through nearby woods, three teenagers were taken into custody. Authorities also recovered a car and a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.
The three individuals arrested in connection with the murder of Marvin Wells were identified as 19-year-old Julius Troyvon Glass Jr., 18-year-old Kera Wolbers, and 16-year-old Ray Delmer Carter. All three were booked on multiple charges, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Investigators believe the attack was planned, stating that the suspects targeted their victims, blocked in a car, and then opened fire. A fourth individual, 50-year-old Dorris Carter, the homeowner where the suspects were found, was also arrested. He faces charges of accessory after the fact and failure to report the commission of certain felonies for allegedly helping the teenagers hide from law enforcement.
The tragedy was underscored by the revelation that the accused and the victims had personal ties, with some having grown up together in the same community. The incident left the family of Marvin Wells grieving a profound loss and the community of Ponchatoula grappling with the violence that had taken a young life.
