In the late hours of June 22, 2024, the sound of multiple gunshots shattered the night in the 2700 block of Ernest Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana. When police arrived, they found 23-year-old Jaden Cade Weber, a male from the nearby city of Sulphur, lying in a parking lot with apparent gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries the following day, June 23, 2024.
The investigation into Weber's death quickly became a homicide case, and the Lake Charles Police Department began searching for those responsible. Their efforts led them to their first suspect just days later. On June 28, with the assistance of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, authorities arrested 18-year-old Jemarques Malachi Chapman of Lafayette in Eunice. Chapman was charged with first-degree murder, and his bond was set at a substantial $1 million.
The investigation did not end with Chapman's arrest, as police continued to pursue leads in the case. This led to a second arrest on July 2, 2024. In the early morning hours, a 16-year-old juvenile was taken into custody in Carencro with the help of the Lafayette Sheriff's Office. The name of the juvenile suspect was not publicly released.
Authorities have indicated that the investigation into Jaden Cade Weber's shooting is ongoing and have encouraged anyone with information to come forward to the Lake Charles Police Department to assist in bringing clarity and justice for the young man whose life was cut short.
