NEW BOSTON, Texas – The trial for Cedric Deshun Alexander, a Mississippi man charged with capital murder in a 2020 fatal shooting at a local restaurant, is set to commence on March 19. The final pretrial hearing is scheduled for March 18 in Bowie County’s 5th District Court. Alexander, 31, is accused of being a member of the Loyalty Cash Business gang and was arrested in June 2022. He faces charges of engaging in organized activity capital murder and engaging in organized criminal activity aggravated robbery in connection with the death of Jermaine Aldridge on December 30, 2020, at Chili’s restaurant.
Police officers found Aldridge lying between two cars in the Chili’s parking lot in the afternoon of December 30, 2020. He had been shot once in the back and died at the scene. Alexander is represented by attorneys Tabitha Branch and Jeff Harrelson and is currently being held in Bi-State Detention Center on a $1 million bail.
The case is the result of an 18-month police investigation into alleged violent criminal activity by the LCB/I-30 Cartel gang in the Texarkana area, which led to multiple arrests in June 2022. The investigation was carried out by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Bowie County District Attorney’s Office has charged the defendants with engaging in organized criminal activity.
According to investigators, the LCB/I-30 Cartel gang consists of local gangs working together to further their drug business interests. They formed various businesses to make their drug money appear legitimate. Additional charges have been filed against other alleged LCB members, including Courtney Derel Hope, Cornell Brown, Van Grissom, Vonquildric Abraham, Taleesia Nekole Morgan, Calyn Grace Parker, and Markeis Richardson. Hope, in particular, has already been sentenced to 40 years in Texas Department of Criminal Justice for his involvement in Aldridge’s death. Brown, on the other hand, is being held on a capital murder charge in the shooting death of Keith McFadden in Texarkana, Arkansas, with a hold placed on him for the felony warrants issued for Texas incidents.
Furthermore, Richardson is still at large and has been named as one of the DPS’ 10 most wanted fugitives, considered armed and dangerous. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to Richardson’s arrest.