A Logan County man was shot and killed during a carjacking in southeast Louisiana last weekend, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Red Roof Plus on Puma Drive in Hammond, La., shortly before 8 a.m. Saturday on a report of a person shot. Deputies located Paul Holt, 62, with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a Facebook post by the Sheriff’s Office.
Holt later died at a nearby hospital. He and his wife had traveled to Louisiana as part of a birthday celebration, where Holt was to turn 63 on Sunday, according to the post.
An investigation determined Holt and his wife were entering their vehicle when they were approached by an armed, masked person, who entered the vehicle and tried to leave with Holt’s wife in the passenger seat. Holt attempted to stop the subject, during which time his wife escaped. The subject shot Holt, who was unarmed, and fled in the SUV, according to the post.
Investigators located the vehicle later that day and soon developed a suspect in the case. They located Ladarrius Evans, 18, of Hammond who confessed to the crime and was found in possession of items belonging to the victims, the post states. He also had a “ghost gun” with a Glock switch, according to the post.
Ghost guns are unserialized, privately made firearms that law enforcement officers are increasingly recovering at crime scenes in cities across the country, according to a 2022 press release from the White House.
Evans was arrested in connection with first-degree murder, carjacking, possession of an unidentifiable firearm, armed robbery with a firearm and possession of a machine gun, according to a Facebook post by the Sheriff’s Office.