Judge Dismisses Brian Horn Appeals, Sentences Killer To Death Row

In the summer of 2023, a jury convicted 47-year-old Brian Horn of First Degree Murder in the death of 12-year-old Justin Bloxom. This was the second time Horn was found guilty of the same crime.

In 2014, Horn was convicted of First Degree Murder after he was put on trial for the 2010 killing. But a ruling by the Louisiana Supreme Court vacated Horn's first conviction and sentence. That led to Horn facing a courtroom once again on the same charges.

In July of 2023, a jury of Vernon Parish residents deliberated in the DeSoto Parish Courthouse for less than 15 minutes before finding Horn guilty.

Today, DeSoto Parish Judge Amy Burford McCartney heard motions and objections from Horn's attorneys who were attempting to escape the guilty verdict from July. After hearing multiple objections over the trial and evidence, Judge Burford McCartney sentenced Horn back to Death Row, dismissing all of the objections and appeals.

During today's proceedings, the victim's family was present, and prepared to give a victim impact statement. However the judge never called upon the family to speak.

Authorities say that back in 2010, Horn lured Justin out of a friend's home by pretending to be a teenage girl through dozens of text messages during the early morning hours of March 30, 2010. The "girl" told Justin she was sending a cab to pick him up. Horn was driving that cab, and he killed Justin after running out of gas in his green Action Taxi cab on Hwy 171 in the Stonewall area.

Justin’s body was found beyond a tree line in some shallow water off of the highway near Red Bluff Road.

Horn can still appeal today's ruling.