Suvechha Sarkar
In April 2024, a tragic act of violence in New Orleans, Louisiana, cut short the life of 38-year-old Mister Brandon William Fees. He had confronted car burglars and was shot dead during the incident. The act of violence raised troubling questions amid the community and his loved ones. The heartbreaking case is revisited in Netflix’s ‘Homicide Squad: New Orleans: No Good Deed.’ It follows the lead detective on the case and the investigation that helped in identifying two young suspects. The episode also reconstructs the timeline of that night through real-time interviews and surveillance footage.
Mister Brandon William Fees Was Shot Dead While Trying to Confront Car Burglars
Mister Brandon William Fees arrived in the lives of Dawn R. Cook and William L. Fees Jr. on June 22, 1985, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From a young age, his parents instilled in him the values of compassion and love for one’s country. Mister grew up alongside his sister, Kristie Fees, and brother, Aaron M. Searles. The family faced a huge heartbreak when William unexpectedly passed away. Eventually, Dawn moved on and found love again when she met Donald R. Cook. Dawn and Donald’s marriage ultimately led Mister and his siblings to welcome their stepbrothers Chris, Donald Jr., David, and Shawn Cook. After completing his education, Mister’s passion for serving his country led him to enroll in the US Military. During one of the tours, he was deployed to Afghanistan.
After 8 years of service, Mister returned home as a retired combat veteran and made it his mission to advocate for veterans in need. As an avid motorcyclist, he became a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Club for a period before joining the Brotherhood of the Banshee Motorcycle Club. Gradually, Mister began working on various initiatives to prevent suicides in veterans and honor fallen soldiers. Moreover, he actively organized fundraisers for the cause and was a member of Teamsters Local 637 in Zanesville, Ohio. Mister was also a member of IATSE Local 478 in New Orleans, working in the film industry construction. His personal life was further fulfilled when he welcomed his dog, Elee, into his life, who became his constant companion. Furthermore, Mister also got a chance at love when he met Joan Gargiulo.
As time passed, Mister and Joan grew closer, and it wasn’t long before they began dating. Around 1:25 am on April 29, 2024, Mister and Joan were sitting at the 2400 block of Burgundy Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, when they reportedly saw a group of people trying to break into cars. Mister reportedly confronted them, which led to an argument before he was shot multiple times by a suspect. Following that, three suspects fled in a vehicle, and the driver ran over Mister. When officials arrived, he was rushed to the hospital, but sadly succumbed to his injuries. Authorities discovered a few shell casings from the location aside from Mister’s personal items. The autopsy report revealed that he was shot multiple times, and his cause of death was determined to be a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
Multiple CCTV Footage Captured the Suspects Fleeing After the Murder
After the murder, detectives first checked the CCTV footage from the area, which captured the murder unfolding. It reportedly showed a person driving the car, another suspect in the passenger seat, and a third suspect who was seen shooting the gun. Following that, three suspects fled the scene. Investigators soon received a report of a burning vehicle nearby, which led them to believe that it could be the one used by the suspects. That changed when detectives discovered another CCTV footage showing the suspects’ vehicle was grey, unlike the one they had just found. According to police records, the said vehicle was reported stolen on April 29, 2024. Using license plate reader data, law enforcement tracked the car’s movement. Investigative records specify that around 3 am on that fateful day, the vehicle had stopped at a gas station.
As per reports, surveillance footage from the gas station captured the male driver getting out without a mask. By May 1, 2024, officials determined that the person in the video resembled Corey Boyd, who had previously been arrested on an unrelated charge. Another footage from the murder scene had captured the second masked suspect with a distinctive walk. According to official reports, the individual was quickly recognized by one of the detectives as 19-year-old Ronnisha S. Gray. She had previously been investigated regarding some violent crimes like carjacking and robberies, but no public reports specify whether she was charged with those crimes. Surveillance footage revealed that Ronnisha was dropped off near Bourbon Street after the homicide, and CCTV from that location captured her face without a mask.
Court records state that the car allegedly stolen by Ronnisha, Corey, and the third suspect was later found burned. Officials ultimately obtained arrest warrants for Corey and Ronnisha. In May 2024, Ronnisha was reportedly taken into custody in Lafayette, Louisiana, but Corey wasn’t present at the scene with her. When investigators tried to interview her, she refused to speak with them. Ronnisha was charged with second-degree murder and theft of a motor vehicle. In that same month, Corey was arrested on Canal Street on narcotics charges. During his interrogation, he admitted that he was trying to speed away when Mister suddenly appeared in front of the vehicle. However, 19-year-old Corey reportedly refused to speak about the third suspect. Corey was charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
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Ronnisha Gray and Corey Boyd Remain in Custody at Louisiana Prison Facilities Today
Although investigators managed to take two suspects, Ronnisha and Corey, into custody, they were unable to track down the third suspect, who was captured on several CCTV recordings. Following Ronnisha’s arrest, she was booked into jail on more than $1 million bond. Corey had eventually pleaded not guilty to his charges after he was indicted for murder. On May 16, 2025, he was held at the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana, when he escaped along with 9 other inmates. After an intensive search, officials re-arrested Corey on May 20, 2025, from an apartment building in the 1400 block of Iberville Street in New Orleans.
The date for his competency hearing to determine whether he is fit to stand trial was scheduled for January 29, 2026. However, no further records specify the outcome or his trial date. As of writing, Corey is awaiting trial while he remains in custody at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana. Similarly, Ronnisha is also awaiting trial as she is held at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in Saint Gabriel, Louisiana. It is essential to note that no records reveal the arrest of the third suspect. From what we can tell, it suggests that the third suspect is yet to be identified and captured.
