In the early morning hours of July 20, 2025, the life of 26-year-old Trakeyvan Dejay Handy was tragically cut short by gun violence at the Lake Charles Event Center Seawall in Louisiana. A loving father to two young daughters, Handy was known for his big heart and sense of humor, and he worked as a dedicated direct support worker for an autistic client.
That morning, just before 6 a.m., a verbal confrontation erupted between Handy and several other individuals.
The dispute escalated into a physical altercation between Handy and one of the subjects. In an attempt to intervene, another man, identified as 28-year-old Roche Royalle Jackson of Lake Charles, discharged a firearm, striking Handy. Emergency services found Trakeyvan Dejay Handy's body at the scene.
An investigation by the Lake Charles Police Department, which included reviewing video surveillance and conducting witness interviews, led them to identify Jackson as the shooter. On a Sunday in January 2026, Jackson was arrested without incident as he was leaving a hotel in Sulphur. He was subsequently charged with failure to report certain felonies, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon. His bond was set at $1.25 million.
While Jackson was identified as the shooter, he was not immediately charged with murder. The case was sent to the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office for review of any additional applicable charges. The investigation also led to the arrests of two other men in connection with the shooting. Kevin Jerron Goffney was arrested in Harvey on September 19, 2025, for failure to report certain felonies. On November 5, 2025, Timithy Dale Linan was served with an arrest warrant for possession of a machine gun, failure to report certain felonies, and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies. The police have continued to ask for anyone with information to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.
