Arrest Made After Fatal Shooting at Orange Apartment Complex Tuesday Night
Orange, Texas — November 4, 2025
A tragic shooting late Tuesday night at the Velma Jeter Manor apartments in Orange, Texas, has left one man dead and another in custody, marking yet another night of violence that has shaken this quiet community near the Louisiana border. Authorities confirmed that 36-year-old Dupri Booker, a resident of nearby Pinehurst, lost his life following the confrontation, while 28-year-old Octaviun Romaine Rhodes, also from the region, has been arrested in connection with the crime.
According to a statement from the Orange Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Velma Jeter Manor complex on Allie Payne Road shortly after 9:30 p.m. following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire in the area. When officers arrived, they found Booker lying unresponsive near one of the building courtyards. Despite attempts by responding medics to save him, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Initial reports indicate that several residents heard raised voices followed by multiple shots, though the exact sequence of events remains under investigation. Detectives spent hours combing the area for shell casings, video surveillance footage, and witness statements that might help piece together what happened in those crucial moments before the gunfire erupted.
Within hours of the shooting, investigators identified Octaviun Romaine Rhodes, 28, as a suspect. Authorities have not disclosed whether Rhodes and Booker knew each other or what may have led to the violent encounter, but witnesses described seeing a man flee the area immediately after shots were fired. By early Wednesday morning, Rhodes was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Orange County Jail on a charge of murder, according to official records.
The Orange Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is now working alongside the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to finalize the case for prosecution. Officials have declined to comment on whether any weapon has been recovered, but investigators were seen collecting evidence from a vehicle believed to be connected to Rhodes.
Meanwhile, family and friends of Dupri Booker, 36, are reeling from the loss. Those who knew him describe Dupri as a man with a bright smile and generous heart—someone who worked hard and cared deeply for his loved ones. Friends in Pinehurst say he was devoted to his family and had been working to build a better life, making the sudden violence that claimed him all the more senseless.
“He was one of the good ones,” said a family friend who gathered outside the complex on Wednesday morning. “Dupri didn’t deserve this. He was always respectful, always willing to help anyone who needed it.”
Residents of Velma Jeter Manor, a public housing complex that has seen its share of disturbances over the years, are once again shaken by the tragedy. Many long-time tenants expressed concern over rising tensions and the need for increased police patrols in the area. One resident, who asked not to be named, said she heard “four or five pops” and immediately pulled her children to the floor, fearing stray bullets might reach their apartment.
Authorities have urged anyone with additional information or video footage from the night of the shooting to contact the Orange Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas, where tips can remain anonymous.
As of Wednesday evening, Octaviun Romaine Rhodes remains held in the Orange County Jail awaiting an initial court appearance. The motive for the shooting has not yet been confirmed, though police emphasize that this was not a random act.
The loss of Dupri Booker marks a painful moment for the community—one that friends, neighbors, and family are struggling to understand. A candlelight vigil is reportedly being organized in his honor later this week in Pinehurst, where he grew up and built lasting friendships.
For now, Orange mourns yet another life lost to senseless violence, while investigators continue the painstaking work of uncovering what led to the fatal encounter between Dupri Booker and Octaviun Rhodes on what began as an ordinary Tuesday night.
Anyone with information can contact the Orange Police Department at (409) 883-1026 or submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers at (833) TIPS-247.