On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, a courtroom in Franklinton, Louisiana, delivered the final word in a Bogalusa murder case that had been working its way through the justice system for more than five years. Tauj Taplin, 24, of Amite, Louisiana, and Quardaviaon White, 24, of McComb, Mississippi, were each sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence for the June 7, 2021 shooting death at an apartment complex on Union Square in Bogalusa.
TL;DR: Two Louisiana-area men, Tauj Taplin and Quardaviaon White, received mandatory life sentences without parole on October 20, 2026, for a 2021 Bogalusa murder investigators say grew out of an “Instagram Rap Beef.” A jury convicted both of second-degree murder on October 2, 2026, after a five-day trial. Digital and cell phone records placed both men at the crime scene.
A Killing Rooted in “Instagram Rap Beef”
The case began in the early hours of June 7, 2021, when Bogalusa Police Department officers responded to reports of gunfire at an apartment on Union Square in Bogalusa, Louisiana. When officers arrived, they found a victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The wounded person was rushed to Our Lady of Angels Hospital, where medical staff pronounced the victim dead.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives determined that the shooting grew out of ongoing threats connected to local rap music figures — what investigators characterized as an “Instagram Rap Beef.” Authorities identified Tauj Taplin as the alleged shooter in the attack and Quardaviaon White as the driver of the getaway vehicle used in the killing.
The violent death sent shockwaves through the small Washington Parish community, and the probe into who pulled the trigger — and who helped them escape — would stretch on for years.
The Manhunt That Ended in Texas
After arrest warrants were issued for both suspects, investigators tracked Taplin and White out of Louisiana and into Texas. On June 10, 2021 — just three days after the killing — the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, working with the Louisiana State Police, took both men into custody following a vehicle stop and a brief flight attempt.
The arrests did not end the search for evidence. Investigators executed search warrants that recovered two handguns, including one weapon that had been reported stolen out of Baton Rouge. The recovered firearms, combined with testimony and records gathered over the following years, built the prosecution’s case for trial.
Five-Day Trial, Mandatory Life Sentences
The case went to trial before Judge Alan A. Zaunbrecher, with prosecutors Tiffany Dover and Iain Dover presenting the state’s evidence. Over five days, jurors heard testimony from the investigators of the Bogalusa Police Department and reviewed what prosecutors described as definitive evidence: digital and cell phone records that placed both defendants at the scene of the shooting on the night of June 7, 2021.
On October 2, 2026, the jury returned its verdict: both Taplin and White were convicted of second-degree murder. Under Louisiana law, a second-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
At the sentencing hearing on October 20, 2026, the courtroom was filled with the victim’s family, who had waited years for this day. District Attorney J. Collin Sims announced the sentences, closing a case that stretched from a Bogalusa apartment complex in 2021 to a Louisiana courtroom more than five years later.
Taplin and White will now spend the rest of their lives in prison, with no chance of release on parole, probation, or a suspended sentence.
Source: District Attorney J. Collin Sims via AN17 reporting on the sentencing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were sentenced in the Bogalusa murder case?
Tauj Taplin, 24, of Amite, Louisiana, and Quardaviaon White, 24, of McComb, Mississippi. Each received a life sentence without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
What were Taplin and White convicted of?
Both men were convicted by a jury on October 2, 2026, of second-degree murder for the June 7, 2021 shooting in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
When did the murder happen?
The shooting occurred on June 7, 2021, at an apartment on Union Square in Bogalusa. The victim, found with multiple gunshot wounds, was pronounced dead at Our Lady of Angels Hospital.
What was the motive behind the shooting?
Investigators determined the shooting arose from ongoing threats involving local rap music figures, described by authorities as an “Instagram Rap Beef.” Taplin was identified as the shooter and White as the driver of the getaway vehicle.
When were the suspects arrested?
Both men were taken into custody on June 10, 2021 — three days after the shooting — in Texas by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police following a vehicle stop and brief flight.
What evidence was recovered in the case?
Search warrants led to the recovery of two handguns, including one reported stolen out of Baton Rouge. At trial, digital and cell phone records definitively placed both defendants at the crime scene.
Who prosecuted the case?
Prosecutors Tiffany Dover and Iain Dover presented the case before Judge Alan A. Zaunbrecher. The Bogalusa Police Department conducted the investigation, and District Attorney J. Collin Sims announced the sentences.
Can Taplin and White ever be released?
No. Under Louisiana law, second-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
