Yesterday, Curtis Thomas III was sentenced to life in prison for the second-degree murder of Charles McGehee and the attempted second-degree murder of another man in a Westwego-area home. The case stems from a February 13, 2022, shooting that prosecutors described as an unprovoked attack. A jury found Thomas guilty on last month after nearly four hours of deliberation, according to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office.
At the 24th Judicial District Court, Judge Stephen Enright imposed the mandatory life sentence without probation, parole, or suspension for second-degree murder under Louisiana law. Thomas also received 50 years for attempted murder and 20 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to be served concurrently. He had previously been convicted of attempted second-degree murder in 2011, which barred him from legally possessing firearms.
Family members of McGehee provided victim-impact statements during sentencing. One of McGehee’s daughters recalled her last conversation with her father. The incident occurred during a Super Bowl gathering and left another man injured. Two witnesses, including Thomas’s father and the homeowner, have since died in 2023.
Assistant District Attorney Molly Love told jurors that Thomas was caught leaving the scene with the murder weapon and blood on his socks. The surviving victim also identified Thomas as the shooter. His defense challenged the investigation, arguing that possession of the weapon alone did not prove guilt.
