After recording the slowest start to a year for homicides in half a decade, Shreveport has reached seven criminal homicides in 2026—with three occurring in a nine-day span in April. The recent surge is concentrated within a nine-mile radius of the city’s urban core, just north and east of the regional airport.
The seven cases are as follows:
-
No. 1 — Jan. 22: An unidentified man was killed near Mayfield and Roberts streets. Dwayne Lawrence Williams was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
-
No. 2 — Jan. 27: Morris Edwards III, 46, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the Caddo Heights neighborhood on Clanton Street. Investigators identified Theodore Washington and Terrance Washington as persons of interest.
-
No. 3 — Early March: Zecorian Miller, 19, was killed in the 500 block of Argyle Street. The investigation remains ongoing.
-
No. 4 — March 17: Cameron Jones, 22, was shot in a parking lot at West 70th Street and Mansfield Road. The shooter called 911 and claimed he was being robbed. Preliminary findings indicate a valid self-defense claim; no arrest has been made.
-
No. 5 — April 5: Jerquavious Johnson Jr., 25, of Bossier City, was shot during a large gathering in the 2700 block of West 70th Street. Valentino L. Carter Jr. was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
-
No. 6 — April 9: Choncy Moore, 35, was found shot inside a vehicle in the 200 block of West 70th Street, near a police substation under construction in Cedar Grove.
-
No. 7 — April 9: Barry Paulk, 65, was found dead at the Cozy Inn on Greenwood Road. Lloyd Dukes, 59, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The concentration of April homicides reversed a positive trend. During the first quarter of 2026, Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith reported declining crime, including a 75% drop in shootings compared to the same period in 2025. In response to the surge, SPD has increased patrols, deployed mobile surveillance units, and utilized a law enforcement helicopter in partnership with the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Shreveport recorded 42 homicides in 2025, down from 52 in 2024 and a peak of 91 in 2021.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Shreveport Police Department at 318-673-7300 or Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.