Jeremy Norrman, a 29-year-old White man from Waggaman, Louisiana, was a father to two young daughters. His life was cut short in a bizarre and violent encounter in the early hours of February 16, 2024.
According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the incident was the result of two opposing robbery schemes colliding. Norrman had arranged to buy a gun from an acquaintance but secretly intended to rob the seller. He recruited 57-year-old Booker McKinley to be his getaway driver.
Unbeknownst to them, the sellers, 24-year-old Tommy Encalade and 21-year-old Marlon Borras Jr., were also planning to rob Norrman. The arranged meeting took place around 3 a.m. in the kitchen of a home on Dolores Drive in Marrero. During the confrontation, Encalade allegedly shot Norrman in the leg.
The wounded Norrman managed to stumble out of the house and get back into McKinley's truck. Instead of driving to the nearest hospital, which was less than five miles away, McKinley drove around the area for approximately an hour. At about 3:15 a.m., a deputy on patrol stopped the truck for driving the wrong way down a street. The officer did not see Norrman, and McKinley did not mention his injured passenger. McKinley was ordered to turn his truck around and was let go. At 4:10 a.m., McKinley finally brought Norrman to West Jefferson Medical Center, but he succumbed to his injury and died.
The investigation led to five arrests. Booker McKinley was taken into custody on the day of the shooting. On February 21, authorities arrested 37-year-old Johnney Cates Jr. and 35-year-old Seth Fridley. Marlon Borras was also arrested in connection with the case. A warrant was issued for Tommy Encalade, who was later taken into custody.
The Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office formally filed charges against several of the defendants. Booker McKinley was charged with manslaughter and pleaded not guilty. Johnney Cates and Seth Fridley were charged with obstruction of justice, accused of cleaning up the bloody kitchen where the shooting occurred without notifying authorities. As of April 2024, all five suspects were in custody.
