In the midnight hour of December 30, 2023, the quiet of the Park Ridge Estates in Ruston, Louisiana, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. When police arrived at the apartment complex on West Alabama Avenue, they discovered two men who had been shot in the head. One man, Robert Thompson of Jonesboro, was found lying on the ground near a vehicle, while the other, Tracy Hampton of Arcadia, was inside the car.
Both victims were rushed to the Northern Louisiana Medical Center before being
airlifted to Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport for more advanced care. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Robert Thompson succumbed to his injuries that same day. Tracy Hampton was placed on life support but also passed away several days later, turning a violent assault into a double homicide investigation for the Ruston Police Department.
The investigation into the brutal slayings continued for months. Authorities revealed that Thompson, who went by the nickname 'Contruband Rocc,' was a person of interest in a separate murder that occurred in Jackson Parish in October of that year. This connection led to speculation that the shooting might have been an act of retaliation. While Thompson was never arrested in connection with the earlier homicide, the possibility of a revenge motive became a significant focus for law enforcement.
After an extensive investigation, a breakthrough in the case came in July 2024. The Ruston Police Department, with the assistance of the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office, arrested 41-year-old David Ray Teron Taylor. Taylor, a resident of Ruston whose home was near the scene of the crime, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Following his arrest, Taylor was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center with his bail set at $2.75 million. The Ruston Police Department continues to encourage anyone with information to come forward as they seek to bring a final resolution to the tragic deaths of Robert Thompson and Tracy Hampton.
