Two assistant district attorneys from Calcasieu Parish — First Assistant District Attorney Jacob Johnson and Deputy Chief of Litigation Charles Robinson — will be prosecuting Derek Person II this week on first-degree murder charges in Beauregard Parish.

Person is one of five people accused in the death of 26 year-old Jimmie Box Jr, whose remains were located in the Bon Weir, Texas, area in August of 2020 following a lengthy search involving Beauregard Parish and Newton County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Texas Rangers.

Investigators have previously told the American Press they believed Box had been taken against his will across the state line. The motive behind his death and the cause of death have not been released publicly.

Calcasieu Parish District Attorney spokesperson Bethany Bryant said Beauregard District Attorney Jimmy Lestage requested assistance several months ago from Calcasieu District Attoney Stephen Dwight on the case.

Dwight said Southwest Louisiana is divided into five parishes, and “criminals do not recognize these boundaries.”

“It is in the best interest of public safety to pull together and assist each other whenever we can. Jacob Johnson and Charles Robinson are not only two of the best in the state at prosecuting violent crimes but, in my opinion, two of the best in the nation. When a neighboring district attorney asks for our help, I will always say ‘yes’ without hesitation.

“These two men could have used their vacation time for anything or gone anywhere, but instead, they chose to use their time to help a neighboring parish to ensure the safety of Southwest Louisiana,” Dwight said. “This is not only a representation of their effectiveness as prosecutors, but also their character.”

Johnson and Robinson are being compensated by the Beauregard Parish District Attorney’s Office for this prosecution, Bryant said. They have used their vacation time for all preparation leading up to the trial and will continue to use it until the trial is concluded.