Ryan Williams Jr., a 23-year-old Black man known to friends and family as "Rylo," was an aspiring entrepreneur and a devoted father in New Orleans. He had founded his own courier company, R, J & J Transportation, and was raising his young daughter, Rayn. His father, Ryan Williams Sr., was a well-regarded volunteer sports coach and mentor to many young athletes in the city.
On the afternoon of Saturday, February 4, 2023, Williams was driving home in the Gentilly Terrace neighborhood.
As he traveled on Franklin Avenue, a silver 2019 Toyota RAV4 began to follow him. In the 3600 block, directly in front of his house, someone inside the RAV4 opened fire. Williams was struck by multiple gunshots and was later found inside his crashed vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death left his family, including his four-year-old daughter, heartbroken and searching for answers.
The investigation into the shooting led police to the stolen Toyota RAV4, which was abandoned in the 13700 block of Chef Menteur Highway. Investigators recovered fingerprints from the vehicle that matched a man named Derrick Theriot. Surveillance video also captured his face. On November 28, detectives searched Theriot's home and collected his phone as evidence. An analysis of the phone's location data showed that it had been near the scene of the crime shortly before Williams was killed.
Based on the evidence, the New Orleans Police Department arrested 25-year-old Derrick Theriot in December 2023. He was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Ryan Williams Jr. The court documents filed at the time did not suggest a motive for the killing.
Subsequently, a jury convicted another man, 31-year-old Kobin Wright, of murder in connection with the slaying. With the conviction, the case is considered solved.
