Chris Nussie Jackson, known as Nussie, was 33 when he was found shot to death inside a house on America Street in Baton Rouge on the night of February 9, 2009. The cause of death was a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Friends and family remembered him as a generous, talented rapper who was reportedly on the verge of signing a national record deal.

Initial police silence about suspects and motive left the community full of questions. Jackson’s sister said his lyrics and real-life subject matter had created envy and enemies, pointing to tensions in the local rap scene. A major development came with the arrest of 17-year-old Michael Marlo Mike Louding; he was later indicted on multiple counts, including five counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Investigators received allegations of a murder-for-hire plot and reports that another prominent rapper, Torrence Lil Boosie Hatch, had placed a $30,000 bounty on Jackson; Lil Boosie was described as a primary suspect early on but was never charged in connection with Jackson’s killing. Did anyone in Baton Rouge at the time have information about Jackson’s activities, threats against him, or that $30,000 allegation?