A Jefferson Parish judge on Monday (Aug. 17) sentenced Talvis Keller to 35 years after he pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his girlfriend’s father during an argument on Christmas night of 2023.
Keller, 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Taj Laurent Sr., 51. His guilty plea averted a possible life sentence had he been convicted as charged of second-degree murder this week in his trial. Jury selection was about to begin Monday morning when he pleaded guilty.
Laurent’s family supported the guilty plea and sentence. “The family has had mercy on you,” Judge June Berry Darensburg of the 24th Judicial District Court told Keller after hearing victim-impact testimony from Laurent’s widow, his daughter and his son. “They agreed to a manslaughter and a reduction in sentence to give you another chance.”
“My heart is shattered, and I can’t believe I have to live in a world without you,” Laurent’s widow said in victim-impact testimony directed toward her husband. She turned to Keller: “My heart does go out to you, for real,” she told him. “I love you Talvis, for real, even though this happened.”
Keller’s ex-girlfriend, who caught him cheating on her, testified. “My heart is broken,” she testified about the loss of her father before breaking into tears.
In a prepared statement, Laurent’s son testified that, “There are days when his absence feels impossible to put in words.”
Judge Darensburg sentenced Keller to 35 years for manslaughter and 10 years for obstruction of justice. The sentences were run concurrently.
Keller was romantically involved with Laurent’s daughter for about three years, and they lived together in the apartment in the 1000 block of Manhattan Boulevard for about six months.
At about 10 p.m., after visiting relatives during the Christmas holiday, Keller’s girlfriend returned to their apartment. Her parents and brother had dropped her off moments before she caught him in bed with another woman.
When Keller refused to leave, his girlfriend called her family, seeking help to have him removed. The woman who was with Keller left the apartment soon after his girlfriend walked in.
His girlfriend’s parents went up to the apartment and asked Keller to leave. He refused. An argument followed. Keller held a semiautomatic pistol. 911 was called. Keller shot Laurent once in the face, killing him.
Keller was arrested about 22 hours later at the Oasis motel in Gretna. There, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives found Keller hiding in a suitcase.
Two people in the room with him, Veranda Charles and Ketrone Robinson, were charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. In October 2024, Charles and Robinson, both age 24 and of New Orleans, pleaded guilty as charged and received three years of active probation.
Assistant District Attorneys Zach Grate and Alexandra Herman prosecuted the case.