A Caddo Parish jury deliberated less than an hour finding Larry Delanta Gardner Jr. guilty-as-charged of second-degree murder Friday, November 4, 2022, of the April 2019 slaying of Bruce Randle near downtown Shreveport.

The nine-woman, three-man jury in District Judge Ramona Emanuel’s courtroom returned its verdict against Gardner, 30, in 46 minutes, after reviewing evidence and hearing testimony from a paramedic, a Caddo Coroner’s investigator, an assistant coroner, lead police investigator and a technical specialist from the North Louisiana Crime Lab, among others. In all, 11 witnesses testified.

The jury determined that Gardner intentionally shot and killed Randle, 55, in the 1200 block of Marshall Street on April 8, 2019. Gardner also was charged, and found guilty as charged, of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

When Gardner returns to Judge Emanuel’s courtroom November 9, 2022, he faces a mandatory life term in prison without possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. On the weapons possession charge, he faces an additional prison term of at least five and up to 20 years.

Gardner was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Christopher Bowman and Brittany Arvie. He was defended by Katie Ferguson and Casey Simpson.