By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — The St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office has issued a second warrant for the arrest of another suspect in the March 17 homicide of Morial Johnson.

Maj. Mike Tregre, spokesman for the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office, said a warrant was issued on Wednesday for Deval Ceaser, 24, of LaPlace. Ceaser was charged with obstruction of justice and accessory to second degree murder. He is the brother of Neyuka Ceaser, who was arrested on April 5 on the same charges.

Neyuka is being held on a $75,000 bond, reduced from $152,000 during a bond hearing Wednesday at the Arcuri Center Courthouse in LaPlace.

&#8220Deval was identified by witnesses as being involved in an argument with another subject just before the shooting, that Johnson tried to defuse,” Tregre said. &#8220Investigation determined that Deval knows the identity of the shooter.”

The shooting occurred in the 1800 block of West Airline Highway around 11:33 p.m. According to previous reports, Tregre said a witness called the Sheriff’s Office on the shooting, and within five minutes of the call, Johnson had walked into the River Parishes Hospital emergency room with a gunshot wound under his right lower rib area.

Tregre said a witness from the scene said a man driving a green Pontiac Grand Prix or Grand Am left in a fast manner.

According to a witness, one male walked up to the other, and the suspect fired one shot at the victim, Tregre said.

Johnson, 23, of Reserve received a gunshot wound to his right lower rib area, which left him in critical condition, and he later died on April 3 from his injuries.

Tregre said anyone with information on the whereabouts of Deval is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Royal Burke at (985) 652-6338.

Deval is considered to be armed and dangerous, according to the Sheriff’s Office.