Last fall, tragedy struck Northwestern State University of Louisiana when a beloved football player was gunned down steps from campus.
A little more than a year later, the killing of Ronnie Caldwell Jr. remains unsolved and there are few signs of a shooting that shook the community. On campus, it’s business as usual.
“It’s a shame that the killer has not been caught, I feel like the parents deserve justice for their son,” Camden Stroughter, senior communication major, said.
The case is still ongoing, and the person responsible for his death remains free. Even as they seek justice, Caldwell’s loved ones have seen recent setbacks in a lawsuit they filed against NSU and others following the shooting.
Andrea Odom, the family spokesperson, did not respond to attempts of contact in time for deadline.
Caldwell, 21, was fatally shot Oct. 12, 2023, across from NSU’s campus at the Quad Apartment Complex, managed by Campus Advantage, Inc.
When Caldwell was killed, his roommate, John Mcintosh, 28, was identified as a suspect in a police report and then jailed on gun and drug charges.
More than a year later, police still have not arrested anyone for Caldwell’s death – a killing that left an open wound in the community.
Over the summer, Mcintosh pleaded guilty to charges of illegal carrying of a weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia and was sentenced to six months of supervised probation. Police recovered a firearm, magazine and three types of bullets authorities said belonged to Mcintosh, but he has not been charged in Caldwell’s killing.
In 2014 Mcintosh was arrested on one count of attempted second degree murder which was lessened to aggravated second degree battery.
His defense attorney, John Bokenfohr, did not respond to attempts of contact.
Another arrest was made after the shooting. Maurice Campbell II, a teammate and close friend of Caldwell, was booked on counts of obstruction of justice, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. A plea is set for Jan. 14, 2025.
Campbell was not able to be reached for comment before deadline.
Many players on the team considered Caldwell a brother and were looking forward to completing the 2023 season in his honor. But the university canceled the team’s remaining five games in the wake of the shooting.
Tyler Vander Waal was a NSU football player who transferred after the cancellation of the season. “When we found out that they were canceling the season, we were like, ‘we have to play, we have to honor Ronnie’s memory, this is what Ronnie would’ve wanted,’” Vander Waal said. “It wasn’t a player’s decision; it was a coach’s decision.”’
Travon Jones was on the team last year. Jones, Caldwell’s teammates and other student athletes experienced the aftermath of the shooting firsthand.
He said several of his fraternity members had been at the Quad celebrating another fraternity member’s birthday when they heard the gunshots. “When they looked out,” Jones said, “they looked to the left and saw his body right there.”
It’s not clear whether the shooting was captured on surveillance video. The Quad did not respond to requests for comment.
The Caldwell family filed a lawsuit Dec. 28, alleging negligence on the part of NSU, Campus Advantage Inc. and former Demons head coach Brad Laird. The family said Laird had been warned Caldwell was in a dangerous living situation and had urged him to take action.
Days before the shooting, Caldwell told his father that Mcintosh had pulled a gun on him, according to the lawsuit, which alleges the two “were not a good match” and had a series of “verbal altercations” during their short stint as roommates.
Ronald Caldwell Sr., Caldwell’s father, later spoke out in a press conference in late October 2023. “All I have to say is this could have been prevented. I called the coach, I texted him and asked him to please move my son, somebody pulled a gun on him. I need you to move him, get him away from that, get him in a hotel until I can get there, I’ll be there this weekend,” he said. Next thing I know, next phone call I get from this man is at 2:07, Thursday that my son is deceased.”
In the same press conference, Tony Pradia, the family’s lawyer, spoke about the parties being sued. “We can say that the university, the coach, they failed Ronnie Jr., and the apartment complex also, which is Campus Advantage, which is an Austin, (Texas) based company who manages properties for universities to house students,” Pradia said.
However, in Laird’s affidavit he challenged the statements of Caldwell Sr.
“On Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, I met with Ronald Caldwell, Jr. to discuss the information provided to me by his father on Oct. 9, 2023. Ronald Caldwell, Jr. told me his roommate had a gun, but Ronald Caldwell, Jr. never said the roommate had ‘pulled a gun on him.’
“Ronald Caldwell, Jr., said he and his roommate had an argument brought about by the roommate’s jealousy over Ronald Caldwell, Jr.’s having an athletic scholarship and not having to work. Ronald Caldwell, Jr. said the argument had ended; the argument was not a ‘big deal,’ and there was no problem.
“Ronald Caldwell, Jr. also told me his father was being ‘overprotective,’ and that Ronald Caldwell, Jr. did not need to move from The Quad Apartment Complex. Ronald Caldwell, Jr. further told me his father was not coming to Natchitoches with regard to the roommate situation or his living at The Quad Apartment Complex, because there was nothing to worry about.”
The suit against Laird was dismissed in June, and the claims against the university were also thrown out on Nov. 14. However, the claims against Campus Advantage Inc. have not been dismissed.
The Natchitoches Police Department did not respond to requests for updates on the Caldwell case.
As it remains an ongoing investigation, many are left wondering what happened the night Caldwell took his last breath. Following his death, Natchitoches Parish faced an increase in gun related incidents.
On Nov. 16, grieving families and friends gathered at a march for justice in Natchitoches City Park to bring attention to gun violence and unsolved murders. They walked together chanting “We want justice, put the guns down,” and called out the names of lost loved ones. Deaths related to gun violence affect not only those involved, but the entire community.
“I do hope the person responsible is found. I just don’t understand how something that big was talked about and nothing has really come out of it yet,” Quincy Beasley, Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band member, said. “I thought it was handled by the first couple of months or so.”
The death of Caldwell impacted many people, and the case still being unsolved can be discouraging to those affected as well as those wanting answers related to the lives lost to gun violence.
Correction 11/27
This article originally mentioned that Ronald Caldwell Jr. was a member of a fraternity. It has been updated as he was not a member of the fraternity.
