Randle Qadir Cormier, a 20-year-old Black man from Beaumont, Texas, was a cherished son, brother, and friend. Born on June 5, 2002, he was the son of Michael Lee Jackson, Jr. and Rachel Doucet Moton. He grew up alongside his siblings, Imani Moton, Michkayla Jackson, and Kadrian Cormier, Jr. His obituary speaks of a young man who was loved by many, including a large circle of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends. His passing left a profound void in the hearts of those who knew him. A funeral service to celebrate his life was held on October 1, 2022, at Borden Chapel Baptist Church in Beaumont.
The night that ended Randle’s life began to unfold around 10:35 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Beaumont Police Department officers were dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of East Simmons Avenue following reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found a chaotic scene and a 46-year-old homeowner who had been shot multiple times.
The homeowner told investigators that a man he knew as "Randle," later identified as Randle Cormier, had come to his house.
According to the police account, Cormier pulled out a gun and attempted to rob the homeowner. At that point, a second man, identified later as Carron Joseph Dickenson, Jr., entered the home to assist in the robbery. The homeowner responded by drawing his own firearm. An exchange of gunfire erupted between the homeowner and Cormier. Both men were hit.
The homeowner was seriously wounded with multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services transported him to a local hospital, where he was treated and listed in stable condition. Cormier, also wounded in the shootout, left the scene. He was driven in a private vehicle to Baptist Hospital Beaumont but died from his injuries shortly after arriving. A Justice of the Peace, Ben Collins Sr., officially pronounced him deceased and ordered an autopsy.
The Beaumont Police Department launched an intensive investigation into the violent encounter. Detectives and crime scene technicians cordoned off the home on East Simmons, placing evidence markers in the driveway as they collected evidence and interviewed witnesses. The investigation soon pointed to 29-year-old Carron Joseph Dickenson Jr. as the second individual involved in the attempted robbery. On October 28, 2022, detectives secured warrants for Dickenson's arrest on charges of aggravated robbery and murder.
Under Texas law, an individual can be charged with murder if a death occurs during the commission of another felony, such as robbery, even if that individual did not directly cause the death. This legal principle, known as the felony murder rule, meant Dickenson faced a murder charge for his alleged role in the robbery that led to his accomplice's death. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Division joined the search for Dickenson.
In December 2022, Carron Dickenson Jr. surrendered to authorities and was booked into the Jefferson County Correctional Facility. His bonds were set at a combined total of $750,000. The case against him moved through the justice system over the next two years.
In September 2024, the legal proceedings reached a conclusion. Dickenson accepted a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated robbery. In exchange for his guilty plea, the murder charge was dismissed. A judge subsequently sentenced Dickenson to 10 years of probation, the maximum term of probation allowed under the deal. According to reports, had he been convicted at trial, he could have faced a prison sentence ranging from five to 99 years or life. With this plea deal, the court case connected to the death of Randle Cormier concluded.
