On June 22, 2023, Homer High School student-athlete Ja’Kerion Calome sustained what
ultimately proved to be a fatal gunshot wound. Because that fatal gunshot occurred within the
Town of Homer, the Homer Police Department responded to investigate the circumstances
surrounding the shooting.

Homer police were told that Ja’Kerion Calome had sustained his injury while inside a Homer
residence. Homer police searched that residence for evidence and interviewed persons who were
identified as being present when Calome sustained the gunshot wound.

On June 26, 2023, after Homer police had already initiated and had conducted its preliminary
investigation, District Attorney for the Second Judicial District Danny Newell was told by the
Homer chief-of-police that the chief had a familial relationship to Ja’Kerion Calome and felt he
had a conflict-of -interest for Homer police to continue its investigation. District Attorney
Newell agreed that at least a perceived conflict-of-interest existed that required another agency to
take over the investigation.

District Attorney Newell initially requested that the Louisiana State Police investigate Ja’Kerion
Calome’s death but was advised by State Police that they were unable to do so.

District Attorney Newell next requested that Claiborne Parish Sheriff Sam Dowies, because no
other law enforcement agency was available, assign his Criminal Investigations Division to
conduct the investigation. Sheriff Dowies immediately realized that beginning such an
investigation four days after the event had occurred created a tremendous challenge for his
department, his detectives, and him. Sheriff Dowies nevertheless chose to adopt the investigation
partly because he was elected to serve all of Claiborne Parish’s citizens, regardless of which
town or community they resided, but primarily because Ja’Kerion Calome, his family, and his
friends deserved a thorough and objective investigation to uncover the truth about his death.

Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office Detectives began their investigation the day Sheriff Dowies
committed his office’s resources to it. During their ongoing investigation, Detectives found
evidence that some associated with death of Ja’Kerion Calome had violated Louisiana’s
obstruction of justice law. The Second Judicial District Court of Louisiana reviewed the facts and
evidence and issued arrest warrants for four juveniles and one adult that charged each of them
with Obstruction of Justice.

Some have questioned how Detectives have conducted their investigation and their motives.
Detectives continue to identify, collect, and analyze all evidence that will enable them to
understand what led to Ja’Kerion Calome’s death. Their only motive is to ensure that the most
thorough and objective investigation is conducted.

Much misinformation about the investigation has been reported and circulated. Sheriff Dowies
realizes that misinformation creates questions for some, but he knows that prematurely
addressing any of those questions could jeopardize the integrity of this ongoing investigation.
Sheriff Dowies would like everyone affected by or interested in this tragic event to realize the
investigation will not be complete until every aspect of it is addressed and every lead exhausted.

Sheriff Dowies and his Detectives feel there might be some with information about the death of
Ja’Kerion Calome who have yet to come forward. Sheriff Dowies encourages any such person
with information to contact the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at (318) 927-2011 or via its
website at http://www.claibornesheriff.org.