PLAQUEMINE — Three people were sentenced to life after being found guilty of killing 65-year-old Herman Harris in a murder-for-hire plot. 

Harris was found dead in his Maringouin home in August 2024. Investigators later arrested Rilonda Brooks, David Brooks, Johnnie Hicks and Javadda Lewis in the killing.

District Attorney Tony Clayton said Harris' killing was planned by his former employer, Rilonda Brooks, who owned a trucking company. The DA said Rilonda Brooks wanted to avoid a lawsuit Harris had planned to file against her and the company after being injured by her on the job.

The siblings previously received about $4 million in December 2023 from a settlement with a trucking company that was found responsible for an accident that killed their mother. The DA told jurors that Rilonda Brooks did not want to lose the money due to the lawsuit. 

The WBRZ Investigative Unit previously learned that Javadda Lewis turned state's witness and testified against the remaining defendants in exchange for leniency during sentencing. The DA said that Lewis acted as the facilitator in getting Hicks involved as the hitman and was the lookout in the murder in exchange for a kilo of cocaine. 

On Monday, both Rilonda and David Brooks were sentenced to life without parole for second-degree murder. The pair also received 15 years in prison for solicitation for murder, 20 years for conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, an additional 15 years for obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence, 10 years for conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary and another 10 years for principal to aggravated burglary. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Similarly, Hicks was sentenced to life for principal to second-degree murder as well as 20 years for conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, 15 years for obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence, 10 years for conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, 10 years in prison for principal to aggravated burglary and 15 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“This man was killed because of greed, and now those who committed this heartless crime will spend the rest of their days behind bars," said District Attorney Clayton. "It was a complex case, but I will say it again, if you commit violent crimes in this district we are coming at you with the toughest prosecutors and the toughest sentences possible.”