In the midnight hour of December 30, 2023, gunfire at the Park Ridge Estates apartment complex on West Alabama Avenue in Ruston left two men shot in the head. Robert Thompson of Jonesboro was found on the ground near a vehicle and was taken to Northern Louisiana Medical Center, then airlifted to Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport, where he died that same day. The other victim, Tracy Hampton of Arcadia, was inside the car, was placed on life support and died several days later, making this a double homicide investigation for the Ruston Police Department.

Authorities reported Thompson used the nickname Contruband Rocc and said he was a person of interest in an October homicide in Jackson Parish; that connection prompted investigators to consider retaliation as a possible motive. In July 2024 the Ruston Police Department, with help from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, arrested 41-year-old David Ray Teron Taylor of Ruston and charged him with two counts of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Taylor was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center with bail set at $2.75 million.

Anyone who knew Thompson or Hampton, or who has information about the shooting, is asked to contact the Ruston Police Department.