On the evening of August 3, 2026, a distressing call to the NATCOM 911 Center set in motion a tragic series of events in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. A vehicle was reportedly traveling south on U.S. Highway 71 near Clarence, carrying a passenger who had been shot in the Campti area. Deputies from the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office intercepted the vehicle and discovered 27-year-old Jasmine M. Smith suffering from a gunshot wound to her thigh.
First responders immediately rendered aid, applying a tourniquet before she was transported by ambulance to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. Due to the severity of her injury, she was later airlifted to a regional trauma center for more advanced medical treatment.
The investigation into the shooting began immediately, with deputies securing the area on Adkins Street in Campti where the incident was believed to have occurred. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Bureau were called in to process the crime scene, conduct interviews, and follow investigative leads. Tragically, despite the medical efforts, the Natchitoches Parish Coroner notified detectives that Jasmine M. Smith succumbed to her injuries at 12:48 p.m. on August 4, 2026, at Rapides Regional Medical Center. An autopsy was scheduled to officially determine the cause and manner of death.
Within 24 hours of the initial 911 call, the investigation led to a significant breakthrough. Acting on a reliable tip, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Detectives located a suspect at a mobile home park on Louisiana Highway 9 near Campti. On the afternoon of August 4, 18-year-old Dalton Exavier Michiels of Bentley, Louisiana, was taken into custody without incident. A search warrant was executed at the location, resulting in the recovery of a handgun believed to be the murder weapon, along with other evidence connected to the case. Michiels was subsequently booked into the LaSalle Corrections/Natchitoches Detention Center and has been charged with First Degree Murder in connection with the shooting death of Jasmine Smith. While an arrest has been made, law enforcement officials have not released a motive for the shooting, citing the need to protect the integrity of the active and ongoing investigation. The case against Dalton Exavier Michiels will now proceed through the judicial system.
