Update: Baton Rouge Teen Ja’Derrius Minnieweather Believed Dead, Suspect Arrested, Search for His Body Continues

BATON ROUGE, La. — What began as a missing-person case for 15-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather has now turned into a homicide investigation, with Baton Rouge police announcing that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the teen’s death. Ja’Derrius was reported missing after he was last seen in Baton Rouge during the early morning hours of June 5, 2026. His disappearance quickly raised concern among family, community members, and search volunteers because loved ones said going days without contact from him was not normal.

For more than two weeks, Ja’Derrius’s family, the Baton Rouge Police Department, community volunteers, and groups including the United Cajun Navy searched for answers. Search teams combed through multiple areas across Baton Rouge, including wooded areas, abandoned properties, bridges, highways, and locations connected to the Ghost Town area where he was believed to have last been seen.

Now, police say the case has taken a devastating turn.

Police Announce Arrest in Ja’Derrius’s Death

On Saturday, June 20, Baton Rouge police announced that Maurice Parms, 51, had been arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with Ja’Derrius Minnieweather’s death.

Police said evidence suggests Ja’Derrius was beaten to death and that his body was disposed of after the attack. As of the latest update, Ja’Derrius’s body had still not been found.

That is an important part of this case: while police have made an arrest, the search for Ja’Derrius is not over. His family is still waiting for him to be brought home.

What Investigators Say Happened

According to details reported from the arrest warrant and police investigation, Ja’Derrius had gone to see a 16-year-old longtime friend before he disappeared. Investigators said that the friend had reportedly been out getting food with Parms before returning to the area.

Police say a tense disagreement allegedly happened between Ja’Derrius and Parms over the way Parms was acting toward the 16-year-old girl.

Investigators also said witnesses described seeing a taller male beating a smaller person for several minutes. According to the warrant, a softer voice was allegedly heard begging the person to stop. Police later found large suspected bloodstains in the area where the altercation reportedly happened.

Detectives also reported reviewing surveillance footage that allegedly showed a person matching Parms’s body type riding a child’s bicycle, discarding items including a mask, gloves, and a shirt, and later returning to retrieve those items. Investigators said Parms was also allegedly seen wiping areas of his truck with a rag.

Authorities said suspected bloodstains at the scene tested positive for blood, and blood was also detected in areas of Parms’s vehicle.

Police believe Ja’Derrius was killed during the confrontation, and that his body and evidence were moved afterward.

Earlier Arrest Connected to the Investigation

Before the murder arrest, Parms had already been arrested on June 10 on charges of indecent behavior with juveniles and computer-aided solicitation of a minor.

Those charges reportedly came from evidence detectives found while investigating Ja’Derrius’s disappearance. According to the warrant, investigators found evidence of an inappropriate relationship involving Parms and the 16-year-old girl connected to the case.

It is important to note that all charges are allegations at this stage, and Parms is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Search Efforts Are Still Ongoing

Even after the arrest, search teams have continued looking for Ja’Derrius’s body. On June 22, Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse confirmed that Ja’Derrius had still not been located.

K9 units and ground teams have been searching areas that would normally take days to cover, including areas north of Baton Rouge. The United Cajun Navy and other volunteers have continued assisting with search efforts. For Ja’Derrius’s family, the arrest is only one part of the pain. They still need answers. They still need closure. And they still need their child brought home.

Community Pleas for Information

Before police announced the arrest, Ja’Derrius’s family and Baton Rouge officials made repeated pleas for the public to come forward. Family members thanked the community for prayers, search efforts, and tips, but also made it clear they believed someone knew more.

That message still matters.

If anyone has security camera footage, information about suspicious activity, details about where Ja’Derrius may have been taken, or anything connected to the case, police are asking them to come forward.

Even the smallest detail could matter.

Why This Case Matters

Ja’Derrius Minnieweather was only 15 years old. He was a child. His family should not have had to spend weeks searching wooded areas, streets, bridges, and abandoned spaces just to find out what happened to him. This case has shaken Baton Rouge because it raises painful questions about community safety, missing Black youth, adult access to minors, and how quickly a missing-child case can become something much darker.

The focus now must remain on finding Ja’Derrius, supporting his family, and making sure every person involved in what happened is held accountable through the legal process.

Anyone With Information Should Call

Anyone with information is urged to contact Capital Region Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP (7867) or the Baton Rouge Police Department at 225-389-2000.

Tips can be made anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

Ja’Derrius’s family is still waiting. Baton Rouge should not stop saying his name until he is brought home.

Ja’Derrius Minnieweather was 15. He mattered. And his family deserves answers.