Ascension Parish, LA (8/12/2023) – The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that a 16-year-old male was indicted, and three others were arrested concerning the murder of a 15-year-old female.
According to Sheriff Bobby Webre, on Thursday, August 10, an Ascension Parish grand jury indicted Jaquin Stephens, 16, on one count of first-degree murder in relation to the homicide of 15-year-old Gracie Limas.
Stephens was originally charged with second-degree murder, illegal use of weapons, and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile. The court has ordered Stephens will stand trial as an adult. He has been transferred from a juvenile holding facility and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail, where he will await trial.
On August 4, deputies with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office found Gracie Limas deceased inside her residence on Bourque Road in Gonzales. During their investigation, detectives with the APSO Violent Crimes Unit identified Stephens as a suspect and, on August 8, executed a warrant for his arrest.
Throughout the investigation, detectives learned of three subjects who assisted Stephens with the incident. Leland Hickman Jr, 18, of St. Amant, a 15-year-old male from St Amant, and a 17-year-old male from Denham Springs have all been arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder; upgraded charges may be pending.
This is an ongoing investigation; further details may be limited.
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A law enforcement-related agency has provided this information as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal “All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.” or arrested and charged with a crime have not been convicted of any criminal offense. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
