By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

GARYVILLE — A 20-year-old Garyville man was charged with second-degree murder Monday after the shooting death of Kelvin Thomas Jr. of Garyville on Saturday night.

Maj. Michael Tregre of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that Thomas was shot once in the abdomen during an argument with Alonzo Bolden outside Bolden’s residence at 203 Sherman Walker St..

Thomas, of 491 Earl Baloney St., was taken to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace, where he soon died from his wound.

A call came in Saturday at 11:18 p.m. of shots fired on Sherman Walker Street. When deputies arrived, they found that Thomas had already been taken to the hospital. He died shortly after arrival.

Bolden was apprehended Monday afternoon and booked into the Sherman Walker Correctional Center on a charge of second-degree murder, where he is being held without bail.

Tregre said detectives talked to a witness, who said an argument outside Bolden’s home ended with Bolden allegedly shooting Thomas.

Two vehicles and a house were also struck by gunfire, according to the spokesman.

Thomas’s mother, Theresa Washington, said he was a middle child of her four children. &#8220I love him, no matter what.”

Thomas’s aunt, Emma Pittman, added, &#8220He was always very confident of himself. He was who he was. It’s God who gives and takes life – nobody has the right to take life.”

Services for Thomas will be held Saturday at Providence Baptist Church in Montz.