The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has charged two individuals, Evans Rogers and Devante Traylor, with second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons, implicated in the tragic shooting that led to the death of a 9-year-old child, Lee'Lani Brooks. The Orleans Parish Coroner's official confirmation of the child's passing on Monday, May 19, prompted an upgrade in the charges against the accused. Detailed in a recent statement by the NOPD, Rogers and Traylor are currently detained at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.
Charges came after Rogers and Traylor were apprehended last week at a Westbank Hotel, with NOPD stating that the pair will soon be transferred to Orleans Parish. Designed to aid in the ongoing homicide investigation, NOPD is also actively looking for Kerry Sterling, identified as a person of interest. Sterling is not wanted in direct relation to the crime, but detectives believe "he has information pertinent to their investigation."
The NOPD expressed gratitude to the U.S. Marshals and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department for their support in this case. The collaborative efforts between these law enforcement branches underscore the collective drive to see justice served and the truth unveiled in an investigation that has undoubtedly shaken the community.
