Jayden Ramirez was 18 when he was shot at a residence on Julia Street in Lake Charles on the evening of November 13, 2021. He was struck in the face by a bullet from a .22-caliber pistol held by his then-16-year-old girlfriend, Emmalou Johnson. Ramirez was taken to hospital and died three days later, on November 16, 2021. He had recently graduated from Barbe High School and enjoyed fishing, hunting and spending time with friends; he was an organ donor and his decision provided life to others after his death.

Johnson was initially arrested and charged with aggravated second-degree battery; after Ramirez died prosecutors upgraded the charge to second-degree murder and she was tried as an adult. At trial in March 2024 the defense described the shooting as an accidental discharge during a private moment, while the prosecution suggested a deliberate act; paramedics testified that Ramirez told them Johnson shot him after a confession of infidelity, and Ramirez’s grandmother described Johnson screaming that she had shot him. Judge Kendrick Guidry acquitted Johnson of second-degree murder and all lesser charges, concluding the shooting was a tragic accident.