In the late hours of a Friday night in Gonzales, Louisiana, the life of 15-year-old Gracie Rae Limas was tragically cut short. On August 4, 2023, deputies from the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office were called to a residence on Bourque Road, where they discovered the young female deceased in her bedroom from a gunshot wound. The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of jealousy and violence that unfolded over social media.
Authorities quickly identified Gracie's 16-year-old
boyfriend, Jaquin Stephens, as the primary suspect in her death. Investigators believe that a heated argument that originated on social media led to the fatal shooting. In the immediate aftermath, Stephens vanished, prompting a public plea from the Sheriff's Office for assistance in locating him. He had reportedly stopped showing up for his job and was no longer at his mother's home. The search for Stephens concluded the following Tuesday when he was found at a home in the neighboring Livingston Parish and taken into custody.
Following his arrest, the legal process moved swiftly. The District Attorney announced that Jaquin Stephens would be tried as an adult. He was formally charged with first-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon, and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile. He was subsequently transferred from a juvenile detention facility to the Ascension Parish jail to await trial.
The investigation did not end with Stephens's arrest. It was soon discovered that he had received assistance in his attempt to flee from law enforcement. Three other teenagers were subsequently arrested and accused of helping Stephens evade capture. Eighteen-year-old Leland Hickman Jr., along with a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, were all charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. Authorities indicated that these charges could potentially be upgraded as the investigation continued to unfold.
