SHREVEPORT, LA — A man charged in the December 2024 shooting deaths of two cousins in Shreveport has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received the maximum 40-year sentence. Court records say Rufus Odell Anderson, 22, must also testify truthfully against the two remaining defendants in the case.

The Facts

• What: Rufus Odell Anderson pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a case tied to the shooting deaths of two cousins, Tristavian Datcher and Jakeva Datcher.
• Where: The killings happened in the parking lot of a Cross Lake apartment complex off South Lakeshore Drive in Shreveport.
• When: Police were called to the scene at 10:24 p.m. on Dec. 27, 2024.
• Who: Anderson was indicted with Alissa Loreaunna Rogers, 20, and Deaiviantan Deshun Davis, 22.
• Charges: Anderson pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Rogers and Davis remain charged with second-degree murder.
• Status: Anderson was sentenced to 40 years and ordered to testify against his co-defendants. Davis has a trial date of Jan. 11, while Rogers has not yet been assigned one.

What police say

Shreveport police said officers found Jakeva Datcher dead in an SUV when they arrived at the scene on South Lakeshore Drive. Tristavian Datcher was taken to Ochsner LSU Health, where he later died.

According to arrest reports, Rogers told detectives the group had set up a drug deal with one of the victims. She said that victim then tried to rob her and was shot.

Police also reported that Anderson admitted firing a gun at the scene. An SPD account said a witness told detectives they were on the phone with Tristavian Datcher and heard the shooting after the victim said he would not provide drugs before being paid.

The investigation

The case appears to have been built from witness statements, police interviews and the accounts of the people later charged. In homicide cases, investigators typically compare those statements with physical evidence from the scene, forensic testing and cellphone or other records when available.

Police did not release additional details about the weapons, the number of shots fired or any forensic findings in the court summary. Those matters are often developed further before trial through discovery, witness preparation and review of the investigative file.

When a defendant agrees to cooperate with prosecutors, that person may provide testimony at trial in exchange for a reduced conviction or sentencing consideration. If called, the witness still must tell the truth under oath, and the jury or judge decides how much weight to give that testimony.

What the charges mean

In Louisiana, manslaughter is a serious felony, but it is charged and punished differently from murder. A plea to manslaughter can reflect a negotiated resolution in which a defendant accepts responsibility for a lesser offense than the one originally charged.

Second-degree murder cases carry the most serious homicide exposure short of capital murder. Defendants who plead not guilty keep the state’s burden in place, meaning prosecutors must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

A bond sets the amount a defendant must post to be released before trial, though some defendants remain jailed if they cannot pay. A trial date signals the next major court step, when lawyers present evidence and testimony to a judge or jury.

What happens next

Davis is set for trial on Jan. 11, while Rogers is still waiting for a trial date. Anderson’s cooperation order means prosecutors may call him as a witness if either case goes forward to trial.

If the remaining cases do not resolve through plea agreements, the court process will likely continue with pretrial motions, witness lists and jury selection before any evidence is heard in open court.

Have information on a crime? Contact local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).