A Jefferson Parish judge on Thursday (Sept. 19) sentenced Myron Lee to life plus 89 ½ years in prison for his conviction in the death of a fellow citizen soldier who was shot during a botched armed robbery attempt.
Lee, 22, of Gonzales, was convicted as charged this month in the death of Jemond Cador, 21, who was shot seven times in his Terrytown apartment on Dec. 6, 2021, after he fought back against the armed intruders.
Click here to read about the verdict.
Lee and Cador were members of the same Louisiana Army National Guard unit. Lee recruited cohorts to rob Cador, providing them with firearms and transportation to the West Bank from the Baton Rouge area to carry out the crime.
Lee kicked in the apartment entry door and immediately was met with physical resistance by Cador. In response, one of Lee’s cohorts, Gerald Little, shot Cador, killing him. Little was the only person to discharge a weapon.
A Jefferson Parish jury on Sept. 5 found Lee guilty as charged of second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Calling the crime “egregious,” 24th Judicial District Judge Jacqueline Maloney on Thursday sentenced Lee to the mandatory life sentence for the murder, 40 years for obstruction of justice and 49 1/2 years for the conspiracy – the maximum sentences for the latter charges. She ran the sentences consecutively.
“I hope you’re ashamed of yourself every day for the rest of your life,” Judge Maloney told Lee before ordering him to “sit down” in concluding the sentencing hearing.
A look at Lee’s codefendants’ cases shows:
- Little, 21, of Loranger, who shot Cador, was convicted as charged of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit armed robbery by a jury on Oct. 18, 2023. He was sentenced to life in prison.
- Isaiah White, 22, of Covington, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit armed robbery on July 18, 2023 and has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Kewane K. Edwards, 24, of Harvey, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit armed robbery on Aug. 16, 2023 and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
- Matthew Kerry Smith, 22, of Covington, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit armed robbery on Nov. 20, 2023 and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Assistant District Attorneys Zach Grate and Alyssa Aleman prosecuted Lee’s and Little’s trials.