During the daylight hours of January 26, 2015, a double homicide occurred on the outskirts of Donaldsonville. The victims were identified as 37-year-old Chad Nichols and 29-year-old Benny Booker, both from Ascension Parish. Nichols body was found on the front lawn of his home, 178 Latino Drive, Donaldsonville, upon deputies’ arrival. Booker was found in the doorway of Nichols home and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead a short while later. Both men were fatally shot. The crime scene investigation findings suggest drug related crime, with the possible motive of robbery as heroin was found in Nichols home, says Sheriff Jeff Wiley.
Shell casings recovered from the double homicide scene were examined by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab and New Orleans Police Department Crime Lab. Lab results revealed the weapon used in the double shooting in Donaldsonville is the same weapon that was used in four separate shootings in New Orleans between 2011 and 2013, according to Sheriff Wiley.
Additionally, Booker’s vehicle, a 2007 white Dodge Magnum, was stolen from Nichols driveway at the time of the homicide. A second vehicle, which appears to be a 2006-2011 white 4-door, 3 series BMW was captured on surveillance video traveling with the Magnum speeding through Donaldsonville away from Latino Drive. The video shows four occupants in the BMW and one driving the stolen Dodge Magnum.
The stolen Magnum was later recovered in the New Orleans area after it was set on fire. The BMW had a temporary tag in the rear window and a dealership logo tag where the license plate is usually displayed. The dealership logo tag is described to have possible blue lettering and a design somewhat similar to an American flag. The BMW has not been located.
Over the last eight months, Ascension Parish detectives conducted numerous interviews and combed through hundreds of records. Several potential suspects were developed from the New Orleans area. Ascension detectives then turned their focus to New Orleans and, as a result of intertwined investigations in Ascension and Orleans Parish; Sheriff Wiley’s detectives positively identified one of the suspects as Quinton Jackson. Jackson’s criminal history reflects that he has been arrested on two previous occasions for armed robbery in New Orleans.
On August 5, an arrest warrant, for the murders of Chad Nichols and Benny Booker, was obtained on Quinton Jackson. On August 6, Ascension Parish detectives arrested Jackson in New Orleans with the assistance of New Orleans and federal authorities. On the night of August 6, Quinton Jackson, 26, of 7815 Sand Street New Orleans was transported to Ascension Parish jail where he was booked in on 2 counts of 1st degree murder.
Sheriff Wiley emphasized that this investigation is far from completion as his homicide squad will continue to concentrate their efforts on identifying others that are responsible for the double murder.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office at 225-621- INFO (4636) or by texting 847411 to our anonymous tip line from any cellular device or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP (7867). To be eligible for a cash reward, you must contact Crime Stoppers immediately.