No immediate suspect in Sunday’s killing of Tangipahoa rapper

TANGIPAHOA, La. (WVUE) - The murder Sunday (May 28) of an aspiring rapper in the village of Tangipahoa has left his family in shock and investigators asking for the community’s help.

Calvin Felton -- an 18-year-old who performed as Highway Youngin’ -- was found collapsed in the yard of a home on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive just after 1 p.m. Sunday. The teen died from a single gunshot wound to the stomach, authorities said.

“That was my baby, that was my love,” said Diamond Felton, the victim’s mother. “He was so dear to my family. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”

Felton said her son has spent the past three months struggling with his mental health, but that she has no idea who would have killed him.

“He went through a lot,” she said. “That’s all I can truly say: He went through a lot.”

Investigators could be seen Monday morning at the home where Felton was found. The woman whose family lives there said they had no clue what happened to Felton and sent condolences to his family.

“I’m angry,” said Kentell Sims, Felton’s cousin. “I’m mad because, at the end of the day, a lot of this could be avoided.”

Sims, a formerly incarcerated person, said he goes around the community speaking to youth with disciplinary issues as a way to show them a path forward.

“He was a good kid, and to see this happen to him is just a shock to the world,” Sims said. “All he cared about was his loved ones, his family and his friends. And he did music as a way to try to help his foundation and help his family. All he wanted to do was to be a successful young man.”

Jimmy Travis, Chief of Operations for the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, said investigators are working leads in the case.

“We’re thinking that he was possibly shot elsewhere in this area behind us, and he maybe was walking, running, trying to get away from his attacker, and that’s just where he happened to collapse,” Travis said. “Part of keeping this neighborhood and community safe, part of that is the apprehension of the offenders. But without the help of the community, we can’t do it alone.”

Travis said anyone with information about Felton’s killing should call Detective Bobby Bradberry at (985) 902-2045 or Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s anonymous tip line (800) 554-5245. Tipsters also can visit www.tangicrimestoppers.com.

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