Lafayette mother left grieving after son killed by gun violence
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) Police are still searching for the person responsible for the murder of Zaveon Willis, 20, who was found dead in the 100 block of Railroad St. Sunday morning.
Ronada Poydras is the victim's mother. "My son was loved. He was silly and just did things randomly, dancing just out of nowhere. He loved his kids, loved his siblings. He just loved his family and I don’t know how life is going to be without him. It wouldn’t be right, especially for his kids, his two-year-old. It’s just hard.”
Willis was one of six children.
He had a dream of becoming a musical artist. Poydras said Sunday morning has changed her life forever. She recalls her phone ringing constantly, and when she answered, she learned about her son’s death. Every mother’s worst nightmare.
The words “your son got shot” ring through her head as she rushes to the scene.
“Kinda lost my mind, and then a cop grabbed my hands and was pretty much telling me that he was gone.”
Willis’ death is brutal on the family, but Poydras said they are reflecting on the good memories.
“His siblings play music all day. It just feels like a dream to me that I'm trying to wake up from,” she said.
The promise Willis made to move his mother from the location they live in will never be filled.
“Pretty much telling me, ‘momma Imma takes you out the hood someday.’ He was mainly focusing on music; that was his life, and his voice is very unique. I believe that he would have made it one day.”
She adds, “we need to come together. The community needs to come together. I have never seen so many people around where he got shot, and to me, I feel like if you all can come together and go to a murder scene, I feel like we can come together to try to help prevent gun violence. They need more things out here for the kids to do to get their minds off of wanting to carry a gun and wanting to kill.”
Sgt. Robin Green says the LPD sent the family condolences. If you would like to help with donations for funeral arrangements, you can send them to the mother’s Cashapp $RonadaPoydras. No arrests have been made yet. If you have any video surveillance or know anything to bring closure to the family, you are encouraged to call the police department or crime stoppers at 337-232-TIPS.