Shreveport Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing His Friend

A Shreveport man who convicted last month for shooting to a friend death must serve life in prison.

A District Judge sentenced 23 year-old Dewayne Wilkinson to the mandatory life term on Monday. Wilkinson was found guilty of the 2023 murder of Laroyce Daniel Brown.

The night of the murder, the victim Brown and Wilkinson's two sisters arrived at Wilkinson's mother's home on Anna Street in Shreveport. Brown, described as Wilkinson's "god-cousin," greeted the mother and briefly spoke to Wilkinson.

Brown went outside to get his keys out of his car. When he returned to the house, Wilkinson had armed himself with a rifle, and shot Mr. Brown more than 20 times, and then fled the scene. Wilkinson's mother and sisters called 911, identifying the shooter and the victim. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.

When the mother and sisters returned to the Anna Street home, they found that Wilkinson had returned to the house with the murder weapon. The mother called police, who came back to the scene and arrested Wilkinson and secured the rifle and other evidence, including bloodstained clothing that at trial was linked by DNA to the victim.

A firearms expert confirmed that all 21 shell casings found on scene and multiple bullets scattered throughout the home, as well as bullets recovered from the victim during autopsy, were fired from the rifle used by Wilkinson.

From the Caddo DA:

"Assistant District Attorneys Kodie K. Smith and William Edwards prosecuted Wilkinson. He was defended by Casey Simpson and Caleb Traylor.

The case was docket No. 397956."