A man who shot and killed an acquaintance in the Highland neighborhood was convicted of the slaying and associated charges by a Caddo Parish Jury Thursday, June 27, 2024.
The 11-woman, one-man jury in District Judge Michael Pitman’s court deliberated just under two hours before returning its verdicts against Torail Thomas, 44, in connection with the November 10, 2022 death of Da’Twaine Broomfield. Thomas was found guilty as charged of second-degree murder, felon in possession of a firearm and obstruction of justice.
Through evidence and witness testimony, the jury determined that on November 10, 2022, victim Da’Twaine Broomfield, 32, arrived at Torail Thomas’s home on Boulevard Street. Neighbors heard a conversation upstairs, followed by gunshots and after a pause, additional gunshots. Thomas was seen running from his home and tossing items underneath it and the house next door. When asked by a neighbor what had happened, he said there was a dead man in his home. He told responding officers Broomfield had consumed some methamphetamine and that while he was in the bathroom, someone else had shot Broomfield. Firearm parts of the murder weapon were found under the home. When confronted by detectives, Thomas eventually confessed to shooting Broomfield, claiming self-defense, even though the victim was not armed.
Thomas has a felony conviction for distributing marijuana and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
When he returns to Judge Pitman’s court July 15, he faces a mandatory life term for the second-degree murder conviction, up to 40 years for the obstruction of justice conviction and five to 20 years for the weapons possession conviction.
Thomas was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sam Crichton and Victoria Washington. He was defended by Michael Enright and Katie Miller.
The case was docket No. 392346.
-30-