The investigation into the deadly shooting of 51-year-old Renina Simmons at a Citgo gas station in Ball is reportedly nearing its conclusion after authorities confirmed that the suspected gunman, 39-year-old Shamond Lamar Sanders of Pineville, was later found dead in East Feliciana Parish. Law enforcement officials say the discovery of his remains appears to bring a critical turn in a case that had triggered a multi-agency manhunt across central Louisiana.
According to the Ball Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service contacted investigators on May 16, 2026, after human remains were discovered inside an abandoned building. The body was badly decomposed, and identification required assistance from the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab, which later confirmed the remains belonged to Sanders. Authorities believe he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though an official autopsy is still pending to confirm the exact cause and manner of death.
The fatal shooting that sparked the investigation happened on March 5, 2026, at a Citgo gas station along Monroe Highway. Investigators said an altercation broke out between Sanders and Simmons near a gas pump before escalating into gunfire. Simmons was pronounced dead at the scene, and the Rapides Parish Coroner’s Office ruled her death a homicide, confirming the severity of the incident that shocked the small community.
Following the shooting, a large-scale manhunt was launched involving the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, RADE investigators, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities tracked multiple leads and tips, including one on March 6 that briefly led to a lockdown in the Pelican Drive area of Pineville. However, no trace of Sanders was found at that time, and the search continued for weeks as officials warned the public that he was considered armed and dangerous.
Investigators also confirmed that Sanders was believed to have been traveling in a gray 2023 Nissan Altima with Louisiana license plate 990JGZ while he remained at large. Law enforcement agencies issued repeated alerts urging residents to remain cautious as they expanded their search across multiple parishes in Louisiana.
Records from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections show Sanders had an extensive violent criminal history, including prior convictions for manslaughter and armed robbery, along with additional charges involving assault on a correctional employee. He had been released on good-time parole in 2024 and remained under supervision until late 2025. As investigators close in on final findings, authorities say the case highlights a tragic chain of violence that ended with two deaths and a long investigation now drawing to a close.
