💔🚨 Missing Teen Found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ: The Tragic Case of Ja’Derrius Minnieweather

Missing Baton Rouge Teen Believed ᴅᴇᴀᴅ After Weeks-Long Search; Murder Suspect Arrested as Family Awaits Closure

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — What began as a desperate search for a missing teenager has turned into a heartbreaking homicide investigation that has shaken an entire community.

Fifteen-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather was last seen around 2:00 a.m. on June 5, 2026, in Baton Rouge. When he failed to return home or contact loved ones, concern quickly grew, sparking an intensive search effort involving law enforcement agencies, community volunteers, and specialized search teams.

Over the following two weeks, members of the United Cajun Navy joined local authorities in combing through wooded areas, abandoned properties, bridges, highways, and other locations throughout Baton Rouge. K9 units and investigators worked tirelessly, hoping to find signs of the missing teenager.

Sadly, on June 20, authorities announced that evidence gathered during the investigation confirmed Ja’Derrius had died.

Even more devastating for his family, his body has not yet been recovered.

According to investigators, evidence suggests the teenager was beaten to death and that efforts were made to conceal and dispose of his remains. Authorities believe the crime was deliberate and involved attempts to destroy or remove evidence.

Police identified 51-year-old Maurice Parms as the primary suspect in the case. Parms had previously been arrested on June 10 on separate charges involving alleged indecent behavior with juveniles and computer-aided solicitation of a minor.

Court documents indicate that Ja’Derrius had gone to visit a longtime 16-year-old friend shortly before his disappearance. Investigators believe events surrounding that visit led to a confrontation involving Parms.

According to arrest warrants, Ja’Derrius reportedly intervened during a dispute related to Parms’s alleged inappropriate behavior toward the underage friend. Detectives believe the confrontation escalated into violence.

Witnesses reportedly described seeing a larger adult male ᴀssaulting a smaller individual while hearing cries for the attack to stop. Investigators later discovered significant blood evidence at the location where the ᴀssault allegedly occurred.

Authorities also reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed an individual matching Parms’s physical description disposing of items believed to be connected to the crime. Additional forensic examinations reportedly uncovered blood traces inside Parms’s vehicle, further strengthening investigators’ case.

Police believe the suspect may have temporarily hidden Ja’Derrius’s body before moving it to another location. Despite extensive search efforts, the teenager’s remains have not yet been located.

On June 20, Maurice Parms was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count of first-degree murder.

As the investigation continues, authorities stress that the charge remains an accusation and that Parms is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Meanwhile, Ja’Derrius’s family continues to endure the unimaginable pain of losing a child while still waiting for the opportunity to bring him home and lay him to rest. Their search for closure—and justice—continues. 🕊️💔