Laquavis Devonte Thomas, 20, was found shot and pronounced dead on December 19, 2021, in a rural area near Wilbur West Road and Bayou Bartholomew in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. His body was taken to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Investigators from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Tri-County Drug Task Force developed the case quickly. On December 20, 2021, 19-year-old Daelon Reshuan Baker of Pine Bluff was located and arrested on unrelated charges. By December 22, a judge found probable cause to charge Baker with Capital Murder and possession of a defaced firearm; he was ordered held without bond. The investigation into the circumstances of Thomas’s death remained active and ongoing.

If anyone has information about Laquavis Thomas, his movements on December 19, 2021, or the area near Wilbur West Road and Bayou Bartholomew, please share what is known.