The Lafayette Police Department’s newly formed task force has arrested two people and obtained warrants for two other suspects in two of the city’s six unsolved homicides, Interim Chief Reginald Thomas told reporters during a news conference this afternoon.
Interim Chief Thomas created a task force earlier this month to focus solely on those crimes.
“I want the victims’ families, the community to know that we will be giving one hundred percent to solve these cases.”
Corporal Paul Mouton, who also spoke at the news conference, that police have three arrest warrants for the 2014 shooting death of Dwayne Batiste Jr.
Batiste was shot to death in the 800 block of West Gilman Street on November 21, 2014.
A warrant has been issued for Cody Brown, the alleged shooter, for the charge of Second Degree Murder.
The warrant will be served to Brown at Angola State Penatatory, where he is currently behind bars.
Dwayne Carmouche Jr., 26, of Breaux Bridge was arrested on February 18 and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center as an accessory to Batiste’s murder.
Police also have another warrant for accessory to second-degree murder for an unnamed suspect.
Mouton said his detectives are, “attempting to locate the unnamed suspect and will release the name at the time of the apprehension.”
The task force has arrested Traven Solomon, 22, of Lafayette, on the charge of Second Degree Murder for the shooting death of Damien Champ, 21.
Solomon will also be charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Champ was killed in the 300 block of Bossier Street on June 30, 2015.
“Detectives received a break in the case when a witness came forward with information,” Mouton explained in a news release.
Four homicides from 2015 remain unsolved. The victims of those shootings are Aaron Brooks, Jr,.32, Scottie Alfred ,51, Amon Bob, 30, and Rosando Gonzales, 57.
Lafayette Consolidated Government Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux called Thomas’ task force “results-oriented,” and gave a message for suspects in the remaining unsolved cases, “you will be found.”
The task force was formed shortly after Lafayette’s 2015 crime statistics showed a dramatic uptick in homicides, according to The Associated Press.
KLFY’s Carly Laing will have a live report at 5 and 6 p.m.
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