BATON ROUGE - A man who barricaded himself inside a home after killing his neighbor in 2022 was found guilty of murder during a trial, officials said. 

WBRZ previously reported that deputies said 34-year-old Henry Williams III shot his neighbor, 26-year-old Ronald LeDuff, after a fight outside his home on W. Chalfont Street.

Williams confronted his neighbor while wearing a ski mask and a bulletproof vest before shooting him to death in the middle of their neighborhood, leading to an hours-long standoff with law enforcement. Williams was arrested and later indicted for second-degree murder and attempted murder charges. 

District Attorney Hillar Moore sent the following statement to WBRZ:

We are grateful for the jury’s time and thoughtful consideration in this senseless homicide. Ronald LeDuff had his whole life ahead of him and was a productive and valued member of our community. He was shot down in his front yard in the middle of the day. Not only did Mr. LeDuff lose his life but the defendants actions also put other citizens at risk and in harm’s way. We are grateful to neighbors who came forth and testified to what they witnessed and endured during this horrific act.

We are incredibly proud of how the East Baton Rouge Sherriff’s Office responded and handled this homicide investigation and high-risk standoff thereafter. Over a dozen SWAT and EBRSO members worked for hours to try and negotiate a peaceful surrender with the defendant who had barricaded himself in his home. During the process they put their lives and safety on the line to protect our community.

Two SWAT members, Kade Babin and Jeremy Yantis, came very close to losing their lives during the standoff. We are also grateful to the jury for finding the defendant guilty as charged to two counts of attempted first degree murder in regards to Babin and Yantis. Had it not been for the SWAT and EBRSO members bravery and professionalism, this tragic day could have easily resulted in more loss of human life.