Taji Simon Jr was 20 when he was shot dead in the early hours of October 14, 2018, inside Borrel’s Lounge on Preston Street in Marksville, Louisiana. An African American and a 2016 graduate of Marksville High School, he performed as Marley Garcia and had recently signed with Rap-A-Lot Records; he was also involved in football and basketball.

Officers found Simon and 27-year-old Derrick McGlory both with gunshot wounds; Acadian Ambulance personnel pronounced both men dead at the scene. Investigators identified a suspect through witness interviews and arrested 27-year-old Jimmie McGlory; he was booked on two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities did not immediately release a motive or clarify the relationship between the suspect and Derrick McGlory.

Did anyone who knew Taji, his music, or events at Borrel’s Lounge around that night see or hear anything that could help the investigation?