2021 homicide case solved, two of three suspects await sentencing

BOGALUSA, La. (WGNO) — Two teenagers have been found guilty in a 2021 homicide case involving the shooting death of a man in Washington Parish.

District Attorney Warren Montgomery announced on June 16, a jury of 12 found 19-year-old Aaron Little Jr. and 17-year-old Willie Cherry Jr. guilty of second-degree murder and armed robbery of Larmond Godbol.

According to court documents, in February of 2021, a call was made to the Bogalusa Police Department from Our Lady of the Angel’s Hospital of a gunshot victim in the emergency room. By the time officers responded, Godbold had died from his injuries.

A recount of the incident, which was given by the victim’s girlfriend who reportedly witnessed the crime, stated she drive Godbold to a house to meet with a person allegedly looking to purchase marijuana from him.

“After the transaction with the acquaintance was completed in the driveway of a residence, three males wearing dark hoodies exited the house and approached the car. The victim’s girlfriend said that a gun was held up to the victim’s head and one of the attackers grabbed a bag of marijuana from the victim’s lap. She tried to hit the gun away from the victim’s head and put the car in reverse to drive away, but a single shot was fired and hit the victim in the chest. She then drove straight to the hospital.”

Through investigation, officers were able to identify Cherry, Little and a third person reportedly involved. The three were tracked, located at a Slidell gas station, and arrested. Detectives learned the group was reportedly headed to Illinois.

During a search, three weapons were taken from the subjects and after an examination, one of the three was found to be the alleged murder weapon.

Court documents list the third subject as being cooperative in the trial pleading guilty to the charges and testifying against Cherry and Little. They received a sentence of 40 years of hard labor.

During the trial, it was reported that the girlfriend’s recount was not fully true. Assistant District Attorney Doug Freese explained to the court “LG was shot when [his girlfriend] knocked the gun away from his head and put the car in reverse. But she is not the reason LG is dead. Three young men decided that they would all carry firearms out to that car, use a show of force to impose their will on LG, and then one of them shot him and ended his life.”

Due to the ages of the suspects at the time of the crime, a determination will be made whether either or both will be eligible for parole in the future. They are set for sentencing on July 11.

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