Jefferson Parish detectives say a late-night drug deal in Grand Isle exploded into gunfire at an RV park, leaving a 19-year-old dead and the tight-knit island community on edge. Investigators identified the victim as 19-year-old Drevon Mixon and say he was killed after a confrontation along Louisiana Highway 1, a shooting they now say grew out of a botched robbery attempt tied to a prior drug-deal scam. Two men are jailed on robbery-related counts, while the person who fired the fatal shot has not been charged after deputies ruled the shooting an act of self-defense.
What investigators say
According to detectives, the late April meetup was advertised as a narcotics sale, but Mixon and another man allegedly planned to rob the supposed buyers in retaliation for an earlier scam. At least three witnesses told investigators they overheard talk of the setup, according to NOLA.com. The outlet reports that 18-year-old Wallace Ledet Jr. later admitted involvement and acknowledged providing a .380-caliber Glock for the planned robbery. Jefferson Parish investigators say they could still seek additional counts against people in the buyers' vehicle related to narcotics possession as the case moves forward.
How the shooting unfolded
The gunfire erupted shortly before 11:20 p.m. on April 21 in the 3100 block of Louisiana Highway 1 at a Grand Isle RV park. Ledet and Mixon approached a car where three people were waiting to buy narcotics, and Mixon pulled a gun, according to FOX 8. One person inside the buyers' vehicle shot back, hitting Mixon and fatally wounding him. The car then drove a few blocks away before contacting law enforcement. Grand Isle officers responded first and then handed the case to Jefferson Parish homicide detectives for a deeper investigation.
Arrests and court steps
Ledet was arrested on counts of manslaughter, attempted armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and his bail was set at $900,000, according to NOLA.com. A second suspect, 20-year-old Jordan Morvant of Thibodaux, was later booked on a conspiracy charge, with bond set at $250,000, that report notes, citing court records. Jefferson Parish criminal commissioner Paul Schneider found probable cause to keep both men jailed on the listed charges, and they were being held at the parish correctional center in Gretna at the time of publication.
Legal outlook
Sheriff Joseph Lopinto told investigators they determined the shooting itself was justified, a finding that may leave the shooter facing no homicide counts even as robbery and conspiracy cases proceed against the two arrested men, according to reporting by WWL. The magistrate's ruling on probable cause means the suspects remain behind bars while the district attorney's office reviews the file and decides on formal charges. A self-defense determination in a killing, authorities note, does not automatically rule out other criminal prosecutions stemming from the same incident.
Small-town fallout
Grand Isle police called Mixon's death the town's first homicide of the year, a grim milestone for the quiet barrier island. The shooting has shaken residents along the usually low-key stretch of La. 1, with local outlets pointing to family members posting tributes and launching a fundraiser to cover Mixon's funeral expenses. Neighbors described being rattled by the sudden burst of violence, according to WDSU. Detectives are urging anyone with video or information to step forward as they continue to reconstruct exactly what happened.
Anyone with tips is asked to contact the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Homicide Section at (504) 364-5300 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111, as reported by FOX 8. The investigation remains active, and prosecutors will decide on any additional charges after reviewing witness statements, physical evidence and the full case file.
