LAPLACE — While one suspect was arraigned this week following the shooting death of 22-year-old Dejuan Bell of LaPlace, authorities said the search continues for the suspected trigger man.

Trey Johnson, 20, was arraigned Wednesday after his indictment Aug. 12 by a St. John the Baptist Parish grand jury, charging him with principal to homicide in connection with Bell’s death.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre said investigators are collecting evidence on a second suspect.

“(Johnson) only confessed his involvement, but he would not tell us anything about the shooter,” Tregre said. “I know there are people that can help solve that case right now, but they refuse to cooperate with us. We’re not going to stop looking and building a case to arrest the guy that did the shooting.”

Authorities, early on, pointed to drugs as the cause of the deadly July 6 encounter.

Tregre credited community feedback with leading to Johnson’s arrest, saying multiple residents assisted investigators by providing home surveillance.

Johnson was arrested July 7, charged with principal to first degree murder and obstruction of justice — tampering with evidence.

Authorities believe Johnson participated in the killing of Bell, who was discovered at 7:53 p.m. July 6 in the 8800 block of Richmond Drive in Reserve, slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle with a gunshot wound.

Emergency medical services brought Bell to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Deputies were initially alerted to trouble following a shots-fired call along Richmond Drive. Deputies discovered Bell at the scene in his car, which had crashed into a fence and also struck a building.

Investigators believe the shooting took place while the vehicle was in motion.