Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana - A Houston man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced Thursday for second degree murder in Calcasieu Parish.

Judge Bobby Holmes sentenced Eskinder S. Mekuria, 50, of Houston, to life without the possibility of parole on September 25, 2025. The conviction stems from a 2022 murder that began at a local casino and ended with the victim's death.

This is an update to a previous article. Read the previous article.

According to the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office, Mekuria met his victim at a casino in 2022. The two left the gambling establishment together in the victim's vehicle, with the victim driving.

During the drive, Mekuria shot and killed the victim while they were in the car. After committing the murder, Mekuria fled the scene and eventually left Louisiana entirely.

Law enforcement agencies tracked Mekuria across state lines, where he was later located and arrested. The case proceeded through the court system, resulting in his conviction for second degree murder.

In Louisiana, second degree murder is defined as the killing of a human being when the offender has a specific intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm, or when the offender is engaged in the perpetration of certain felonies. The crime carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

Assistant District Attorneys Lea Hall and David Guidry handled the prosecution for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office. The successful conviction ensures Mekuria will remain incarcerated for the remainder of his natural life.