Iberville Parish jury convicts White Castle man for second degree murder

Tyler Jackson has been found guilty of second-degree murder for a 2018 shooting during a party in White Castle, according to District Attorney Tony Clayton.

An Iberville Parish jury reached the guilty verdict on Feb. 29 after a three-day trial.

Jackson and Thailan Raekwon “Monkey” Cutno, 21, 42032 Cannon Rd., Gonzales, were both at a party at the White Castle Community Center on April 7, 2018, when Jackson saw Cutno talk to a woman that he had been pursuing. He went behind Cutno and hit him with the butt of his gun, according to trial testimony.

When Cutno’s friends tried to defend him, Jackson shot Cutno twice. Jackson fled the scene, but he was apprehended in Baton Rouge three days later.

Jackson was identified as the shooter in a photo line-up, and his cell phone text messages revealed messages that were incriminating, including one message sent by Jackson shortly after the murder stating, "Bruddha I got myself a soul.”

Eighteenth Judicial District Court Judge Alvin Batiste presided over the trial, and set sentencing for Jackson, 24, of 55160 Boudreaux St., White Castle, for April 6. The mandatory sentence for second degree murder is life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

“This is another case of senseless violence that impacted many people,” District Attorney Clayton said. “It will not be tolerated. We will get them convicted, and they will go to prison. I’ll say it again: put down the guns.”