Family and friends of Louisiana teen Ja’Quarius Taylor are calling for a thorough investigation after he was murdered earlier this month, reports NewNowNext.com. Taylor’s body was found Jan. at the edge of a lake in the woods near his home in Varnado, a small village in Washington Parish.
Authorities say the 17-year-old high school senior had been shot in the head; some reports say he was tied up. Taylor’s loved ones believe he was targeted because he was Black and gay.
“The family has a legal team to help ensure a full, fair and just investigation is happening,” said the family’s attorney. “We hope the FBI will get involved because of the perceived conflicts of interest and family relations the local sheriff may have. We’re looking at this as a hate crime based on the race and sexual orientation of Ja’Quarius Taylor. We would like for the federal government to come in and take over the investigation because we’re not very comfortable with the local police and the way they’ve done the investigation already,” added Pastor Ken Owens. “We just want justice.”
The Washington Parish sheriff’s department, which is reportedly working with the FBI and other agencies, said they are investigating Taylor’s murder as a homicide but will treat it as a hate crime if evidence warrants. They also denied any conflicts of interest.
The FBI has issued a statement: “We are aware of the incident in Washington Parish and are presently assessing the circumstances surrounding this event. If information comes to light of a potential federal civil rights violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate. The FBI takes seriously all acts or threats of violence and is committed to investigating crimes that are potentially hate-motivated and we continue to work with all our community partners.”
Louisiana has a federal hate crimes law that covers crimes motivated by race and sexual orientation. “This apparent hate crime is horrific,” tweeted HRC president Alphonso David. “We join his loved ones in mourning and in demanding a thorough investigation by law enforcement.” A $5,000 reward has been offered for any information leading to an arrest.
