GONZALES, La. (WAFB) – Three people are in custody following indictments connected to the December 2023 fatal shooting in Gonzales.
According to police, Craig Haynes Jr. was traveling north on Burnside Highway in a black Chevrolet Malibu on the night of Dec. 8, 2023, when his vehicle was struck by gunfire, causing it to crash into the Big River Store parking lot. Police said Haynes died from his injuries on Dec. 9, 2023.
Grand jury indictments
On June 22, 2026, the Twenty-Third Judicial District Grand Jury returned indictments against Jalon Brown, 22, of Gonzales; Krynicki Baker, 23, of Phoenix, Arizona; and Bradly Walker, 21, of St. Helena Parish. Judge John Smith signed arrest warrants on June 23, 2026.
Charges and arrests
Jalon Brown, 22, Gonzales, faces charges of principal to second-degree murder, principal to assault by drive-by shooting, and principal to aggravated damage to property. Brown was arrested by the Gonzales Police Department on the evening of June 23, 2026, and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail. His bond has been set at $550,000.
Krynicki Baker, 23, Phoenix, Arizona, faces charges of second-degree murder, assault by drive-by shooting, and aggravated damage to property. Baker was arrested June 24, 2026, by the Phoenix Police Department and is awaiting extradition to Louisiana.
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Bradly Walker, 21, St. Helena Parish, faces charges of second-degree murder, assault by drive-by shooting, and aggravated damage to property. Walker was arrested June 26, 2026, in Livingston Parish by the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Louisiana State Police. He has since been transferred to the Ascension Parish Jail.
Investigation ongoing
“This case is the result of countless hours of dedicated investigative work and strong partnerships among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” Gonzales Police Chief Sherman Jackson said. “While today’s arrests represent a major milestone, our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Craig Haynes, Jr., who have waited more than two years for this day.”
The Gonzales Police Department credited the United States Marshals Service, Phoenix Police Department, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, and the Gonzales Police Department Uniform Patrol Division for their assistance in locating and apprehending the suspects…