On the morning of August 31, 2024, Johnny Trailer Jr., a 48-year-old African American man, was shot and killed while at his job as a barber in Lafayette, Louisiana. The incident occurred shortly after 9:15 a.m. at a barbershop located in the 1000 block of Louisiana Avenue. Lafayette Police responded to reports of gunfire and discovered two men with gunshot wounds inside the establishment.
While the other victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, Trailer was pronounced dead at the scene.
Trailer was a well-regarded figure in his community, known for his dedication to mentoring young people. He was a youth basketball coach and a co-founder of the Lafayette Celtics, a program for young athletes. Additionally, he served as an assistant coach for the girls' basketball team at David Thibodeaux STEM Magnet Academy. Described as a devoted father figure, a man of faith, and a passionate coach, his death was a significant loss to the community.
In the course of their investigation, Lafayette police arrested three suspects in connection with the double homicide that also claimed the life of 19-year-old Quincy Duhon Jr. The suspects were identified as 18-year-old Shylon Mouton of Carencro, 23-year-old Abram Landry of Lafayette, and 18-year-old Jeffery Broussard of Lafayette.
A Lafayette Parish grand jury later indicted all three individuals. Mouton and Landry were formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Broussard was indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. While the suspects are facing legal proceedings, authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the deadly shooting.
