Suvechha Sarkar
On April 27, 2024, a devastating act of violence unfolded in New Orleans, Louisiana, which shook the entire community. That day, 17-year-old Rickey Hamilton’s life was tragically cut short when he was shot dead inside a car. For his loved ones, the loss was immeasurable, and they were left behind to grapple with the devastating reality. The episode titled ‘Afternoon Ambush’ of Netflix’s ‘Homicide Squad: New Orleans’ explores the investigation by following the detectives working on the case in real-time. The episode further features an interview with the lead investigator and emotional accounts from Rickey’s loved ones.
Rickey Hamilton Was Inside a Vehicle in New Orleans When He Was Shot
Rickey Hamilton arrived as a blessing in the lives of Richonda Hamilton and Junior Johnson Sr. on December 13, 2006. He was raised in a loving household in New Orleans, Louisiana. Rickey had always been a dutiful sibling to his sister, Ria Johnson, and his brother, Junior Johnson Jr. Rickey had also fostered a close bond with his mother. Richonda described him as a teenager who always wore a smile and looked at the positive side of things. While studying at Edna Karr High School, Rickey was a proud member of the Color Guard. Beyond that, he loved exploring his creative spirit, which nurtured his love for sewing. He eventually opened his own sewing venture, Bluski The Tailor.
Furthermore, Rickey was part of a bike club, where he performed stunt riding and shared it on his social media. Another part of his life revolved greatly around his beloved dog, Kingston. Rickey always made sure to shower Kingston with his love and attention. Everything was going perfectly until his life turned upside down on April 27, 2024. Around 4:50 pm on that fateful day, Rickey was inside a car with another 13-year-old at the intersection of Freret and Sixth Streets when someone opened fire at them. Both Rickey and the other teenager were shot, and the latter promptly called 911. When paramedics and officials arrived at the scene, they found the 13-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his right ankle.
Authorities further discovered Rickey was shot inside the car, and both the injured teenagers were rushed to the University Medical Center in New Orleans. Although the 13-year-old became stable and survived, Rickey unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. At the scene, detectives noted that the vehicle’s rear windows were shattered and the car had several bullet holes. However, no firearms or weapons were present inside the automobile. Forensic experts recovered shell casings at a short distance from the car. They also discovered that there were two different types of shell casings, suggesting multiple firearms, such as an AK-47 rifle, might have been used. It indicated that there might have been two shooters at the scene. The autopsy determined Rickey’s cause of death to be multiple fatal gunshot wounds.
CCTV Evidence and Social Media Helped Detectives Track Down the Suspects
During the initial investigation, officials learned that Rickey and the 13-year-old had jumped out and run away from the vehicle when the shots were being fired at them. According to reports, upon checking the car’s registration, detectives found it had been reported stolen. Soon after, another 21-year-old witness came forward, revealing that he was also inside the car but ran out when the shooting happened. Reports state that the third occupant also remained unharmed. As per court records, investigators received the CCTV footage from the street that captured two suspects shooting at the vehicle. Both suspects were identified as black males, with one of them reportedly wearing a mask. According to police records, detectives soon learned that the unmasked suspect might be Dennis Wells Jr.
Investigative reports indicate that law enforcement noted that the necklace and tattoo Dennis had in a picture he shared on social media were similar to the one that the suspect was wearing on the day of the murder. Finally, authorities found out that Dennis was actually arrested on April 11, 2024, on unrelated charges and was later released. Records state that after Dennis’ identity was confirmed, he was arrested on May 4, 2024. When a search warrant was executed at his mother’s home, officials reportedly found the necklace that was captured on the CCTV camera. According to court records, during his questioning, Dennis claimed that he was in Baton Rouge at the time of the murder. Police records state that although he initially denied involvement, Dennis later confessed to the shooting.
In his statements, Dennis claimed that he was with a group of children when he saw the vehicle backing up in the neighborhood with three masked people inside, and he shot at the car to protect the children. When Dennis was asked about the masked suspect, he claimed that it was 17-year-old Karon Antoine. According to records, Dennis claimed that after the shooting, he returned the rifle he used to Karon. As the investigation progressed, they reportedly found one of Karon’s pictures showing the same backpack the masked suspect wore on April 27. Dennis was charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. Police records allege that when officials checked Karon’s mobile records, the location placed him at the crime scene. On June 4, 2024, Karon was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder.
Related
Dennis Wells Jr. and Karon Antoine Are Likely in Custody Awaiting Trial
Following the arrest of the two accused, Dennis Wells Jr. and Karon Antoine, the prosecution began building its case. According to the investigative records, detectives had executed a search warrant on the home from which Karon was arrested. At the scene, they reportedly found the backpack matching the one captured on the CCTV footage. Reports state that they also found a burnt hoodie that resembled the one that the masked suspect was seen wearing during the crime. Eventually, Karon faced several other gun and drug-related charges alongside the ones related to Rickey’s death, and the judge set his bond at $1 million.
On the other hand, Dennis’ bond for the attempted murder charge was set at $300,000. As of writing, Dennis is facing several other charges, like possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice. For these respective charges, his bond is set at $100,000 and $40,000. Dennis is awaiting trial and is likely being held in custody at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in New Orleans, Louisiana. According to some reports, Karon is awaiting trial while he remains in custody, but the information about his exact location is currently unavailable.
