A Jefferson Parish judge has ordered a Harvey man into state mental health custody after he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the stabbing death of his Uber driver. The ruling came during a March 18 hearing where the court determined that the defendant poses a danger to himself and others.
Judge Rules Defendant Dangerous, Orders Hospital Commitment
Judge Lee Faulkner of the 24th Judicial District Court ruled that 33‑year‑old Brandon Jacobs should be committed to the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in Jackson, Louisiana, after hearing expert testimony and reviewing psychiatric evidence presented at the hearing. The judge’s decision followed Jacobs’s insanity acquittal in the 2022 killing.
Under Louisiana law, a person found not guilty by reason of insanity can be committed for treatment if the court finds they remain mentally ill and dangerous. Doctors at the mental health hospital will now provide treatment and monitor his condition. Future release would depend on medical evaluations and a separate court process.
Background: 2022 Killing of Uber Driver
Jacobs was charged with second‑degree murder in connection with the December 8, 2022, stabbing death of 54‑year‑old Yolanda Dillion, who was working as an Uber driver at the time. Dillion also worked as a budget analyst for the New Orleans Police Department.
According to authorities, Jacobs had been staying in a Travelodge hotel in Harvey when he ordered an Uber back to the hotel. Moments after arriving, he attacked Dillion from the back seat, stabbing her repeatedly. She was taken to a hospital where she later died from her injuries.
Investigators said earlier in the day Jacobs had bought knives at a New Orleans store and told police he had woken up with the desire to “kill someone.”
Insanity Trial Findings
During the February 25 trial, psychiatrists for both the defense and prosecution testified that Jacobs was severely mentally ill and experiencing active psychosis at the time of the killing. Forensic experts concluded that he could not distinguish right from wrong because of his delusional state, which underpins the basis for the not‑guilty by reason of insanity verdict.
Jacobs had previously been ruled incompetent to stand trial and spent more than a year in psychiatric treatment before being found competent again in 2024.
What Happens Next?
Jacobs will remain in the secure mental health hospital until doctors determine whether he can be safely released. If psychiatric evaluations later conclude he no longer poses a danger, the facility can request his discharge. That process would require review by a panel of medical experts and a court hearing, where prosecutors may object if they believe risk persists.
Dillion’s relatives and members of Jacobs’s family attended the March 18 hearing, but neither side spoke publicly afterward.
