POINTE COUPEE PARISH — Five gang members involved in a murder were tried, found guilty and have since been sentenced to life behind bars in Pointe Coupee Parish.
This case is historic in nature that a district attorney tried five people at one time on a gang-related murder, then all were found guilty of second-degree murder and all five have now been sentenced to life. During trial, the district attorney was able to prove through a gang expert that all five were part of the gang “Young and the Wreckless.”
The group of men went before a judge in Pointe Coupee Parish on April 12 to be sentenced. All five will be serving life behind bars, four of them without the benefit of parole and the fifth one, Tyler Breaux, was given the option of parole because he was 17 at the time of the murder. The Supreme Court says anyone under the age of 18 cannot be given life without the option of parole.
District Attorney Tony Clayton said Tyzontae Davis, Tyler T. Breaux, Nicholas Johnson, Dequan Johnson, and Marlon Jones are believed to be members of the Young and the Wreckless gang who were involved in the January 21, 2021 murder of Eugene Jarreau III.
Dequan Johnson elected to have a judge trial held simultaneously with the jury trial, while the other four were tried by jury. Jury selection began on Jan. 18, 2024 and the trial continued through Feb. 8. It was tried before 18th Judicial District Judge Kevin Kimball. The jury reached guilty verdicts after one hour and eight minutes of deliberation. Judge Kimball also found Johnson guilty in the trial before a judge.
Clayton said it is the first time five defendants have been tried together in Pointe Coupee Parish.
“We are sending the message that if you are involved in gang activity, even if you are not the shooter, you will be prosecuted,” Clayton said. “We are coming after you, and we will prosecute to the fullest extent possible,” he said.
Officials say Dequan Johnson, aka Quarter Baby, is the leader of the Young and Wreckless gang. Clayton said Jarreau was shot at his home in New Roads. Johnson orchestrated the murder, according to Clayton.
The evidence at trial showed that Davis, Breaux, Nicholas Johnson, and Jones III approached the victim’s house around 10:50 p.m. on the night of the ambush armed with an AR rifle and three different 9 mm pistols.
Clayton said that, according to testimony, someone knocked on Jarreau’s door, and when he opened the door, the men approached armed with weapons and shot him 21 times. The evidence presented at trial also consisted of Instagram records, phone records, and jailhouse calls involving all defendants, which showed their knowledge of the crimes and attempts to cover up the crimes by the gang members.
“To all the gangs out there – conduct yourself accordingly,” Clayton said. “We are watching you.”
Convicted and Convictions
- Tyzontae J. Davis, 24: second degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Tyler T. Breaux, 21: second degree murder;
- Nicholas C. Johnson, 22: second degree murder
- Dequan D. Johnson, 24: second degree murder
- Marlon D. Jones, III, 25: second degree murder
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