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Reporter at The Times-Picayune | @NOLAnews covering crime and cops.
Tips: mwilkinson@theadvocate.com, (504) 209-2710
Articles by Missy Wilkinson
Under Anne Kirkpatrick, NOPD sees more firings, fewer resignations as it builds ranks
New Orleans Police Department officer resignations have fallen sharply since 2022 even as terminations have climbed, marking an overall drop in separations and a notable reversal for a department that has historically struggled with low staffing. The shift marks a sea change in how officers are leaving the New Orleans Police Department and coincides with Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick’s arrival as the city’s top cop in late 2023.
NOPD arrests 2 in child sex trafficking operation, says more survivors may be out there
After making two arrests in a child sex trafficking operation spanning Louisiana and Mississippi, New Orleans police said Wednesday they believe there may be additional survivors and perpetrators. Renee Schulze, 28, was booked in Harrison County, Mississippi, and transferred to Orleans Justice Center July 31 on suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles and trafficking of children for sex purposes. She faces similar charges in Mississippi. Marcus J.
Man arrested on murder count in connection with Gentilly Woods daiquiri shop shooting
New Orleans police arrested a man on suspicion of murder in connection with a Thursday killing near a Gentilly Woods daiquiri shop, court records show. Robert G. Rodriguez, 23, was booked into Orleans Justice Center Thursday evening on a count of second-degree murder. He was also being held on a traffic attachment and a fugitive warrant, according to records. Rodriguez allegedly shot another man dead in the 4400 block of Chef Menteur Highway at around 2 p.m. Thursday.
Man fatally shot in Gentilly Woods, New Orleans police investigating near daiquiri shop
A man was fatally shot in Gentilly Woods on Thursday afternoon, the New Orleans Police Department said. Police responded to the shooting in the 4400 block of Chef Menteur Highway at around 2 p.m., where they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Man fatally shot in Gentilly Terrace, New Orleans police investigating near daiquiri shop
A man was fatally shot in Gentilly Terrace on Thursday afternoon, the New Orleans Police Department said. Police responded to the shooting in the 4400 block of Chef Menteur Highway at around 2 p.m., where they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services pronounced him dead at a local hospital.
Suspect arrested in 2022 7th Ward hit-and-run that killed 2 people, NOPD says
Four years after a hit-and-run driver killed two people after slamming into a car, flipping and hitting at least five pedestrians, New Orleans police said they have arrested the woman responsible for the deadly crash.
NOPD adds rare second crime sweep as part of annual federal, state partnership. See its results.
In an unusual move, the New Orleans Police Department this year spearheaded an additional round of its annual crime-fighting push involving several federal and state agencies — this time netting nearly 200 more felony arrests than its spring operation. The five-week, citywide crime sweep that launched last month resulted in 231 felony arrests, 114 seized firearms, $45,000 worth of seized narcotics and over 800 traffic stops, NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said Tuesday.
Family of teen who died at Plaza Tower plans to sue building’s owners: 'Numerous failures’
The family of a teen who fell to his death from the blighted Plaza Tower earlier this month spoke out publicly for the first time on Monday, saying they plan to sue the building’s owners and the security and fencing companies responsible for securing the property. Mia J. St. Ann and Jacque B. Turner, mother and father of Jacque St. Ann, 17, spoke publicly alongside their attorneys in front of the blighted building, standing in the shadow of the tower which loomed behind newly installed fencing.
New Orleans firefighters' 'out of class' dispute headed to trial after settlement talks fail
A dispute between the city and its firefighters over "out of class" assignments will go to trial next month after a marathon negotiation session in Civil District Court on Thursday failed to produce a settlement, union officials said. "A full day — 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. yesterday — spent in negotiation at (Judge Nicole Sheppard's) request produced no agreement," union president Aaron Mischler said in a Friday statement. "We will be preparing for a trial Sept.
DNA links 70-year-old man to 3 New Orleans cold-case rapes dating back to 1990s, NOPD says
A 70-year-old man was linked to three cold-case sex crimes dating to the 1990s by DNA collected when he was arrested last year on gun charges, according to the New Orleans Police Department. At an Aug. 17 hearing in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court related to the gun case, New Orleans police arrested Robert Hamilton Jr. on three counts of second-degree rape and one count of aggravated kidnapping. New Orleans police believe Hamilton may have additional victims.
Former New Orleans teacher gets 33 years for sex trafficking teen runaway he met on Facebook
A federal judge handed down a 33-year prison sentence last week to a former New Orleans teacher for sex trafficking a teen runaway he'd met on Facebook. Aaron Terod Johnson, 38, was convicted by a grand jury in December of sex trafficking a minor and coercing and enticing a minor to engage in prostitution, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
NOPD homicide clearance rate hits 98%, up from 43% in 2022
By Missy Wilkinson The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate NEW ORLEANS — When New Orleans homicide detective Andrew Waldron’s phone rings, he answers, no matter the time of day or night. One year, the NOPD lieutenant left his family’s Christmas celebration to go to a murder victim’s house after the survivors invited him over. Part of it is a drive to be there for people who are suffering. But empathy has a practical side, too. A tipster may not always ring twice.
How New Orleans Homicide Detectives Pushed Their Clearance Rate to 98%
When New Orleans homicide detective Andrew Waldron's phone rings, he answers, no matter the time of day or night. One year, the NOPD lieutenant left his family's Christmas celebration to go to a murder victim's house after the survivors invited him over. Part of it is a drive to be there for people who are suffering. But empathy has a practical side, too. A tipster may not always ring twice.
Seventh suspect in St. Claude shootout that killed Marine vet arrested in Houston
A seventh suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of Marine Corps veteran and father Michael Garcia, 41, who was killed in crossfire in St. Claude during an alleged multigenerational drug feud in April. Byron "BB" Dubose, 24, was apprehended in Houston by U.S. Marshals and Harris County law enforcement, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed Monday morning.
New Orleans homicide detectives are solving murders at a rapid clip after years of struggle
Left to right: Det. Rob Long, Sgt. Alex Kelly, Det. Joseph Jefferson, Det. Shondell Fields, Det. Joseph Herman, Det. Maurice Stewart, Sgt. Melanie Dillon, Sgt. Amit Bidichandani, Det. Mike Lane, Det. Nico D'Alessandro, Sgt. Darius Henry, Sgt. Meghan Constantine, Det. Samuel Pope and Lt. Andrew Waldron gather at the International Homicide Investigators Association at the Marriott Warehouse Arts District in Aug. 2026.
Louisiana National Guard to withdraw from New Orleans soon after eight-month deployment
The Louisiana National Guard will withdraw from its nearly eight-month deployment in New Orleans, with some guardsmen leaving as soon as Monday, city officials said. Jonah Gilmore, director of communications for Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration, confirmed that the troops’ official orders end Aug. 31 and that they would begin rolling out Monday, Aug. 24. Louisiana National Guard director of public affairs Lt. Col. Noel Collins said more information would be available next week.
Man booked in 2006 New Orleans murder after overlooked, decade-old arrest warrant discovered
A man serving a 20-year sentence for attempted murder and armed robbery was rebooked Wednesday on a second-degree murder count stemming from a 2006 Irish Channel killing after an overlooked warrant popped up when he was paroled last week. Dustin J. Lee, 37, appeared Wednesday in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, where Magistrate Commissioner Robert Blackburn found probable cause and set his bond at $400,000. Lee was paroled from Department of Corrections custody on Aug.
Belle Chasse High senior, 17, identified as teen who fell to death at Plaza Tower
A teen boy who fell to his death while exploring the blighted Plaza Tower was identified by the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office Tuesday as a senior at Belle Chasse High School. The loss of Jacque St. Ann, 17, has left the community "heartbroken," according to a statement from Belle Chasse High officials. “Jacque was an outstanding student and, more importantly, an exceptional young man who made a lasting impact on those around him," officials wrote in a Tuesday morning social media post.
Suspect in Freret Street homicide died by suicide hours after killing, NOPD says
A man suspected in last week's Freret Street homicide died by suicide hours after the killing, the New Orleans Police Department said Monday. NOPD officials believe Desmond Cooper, 44, shot and killed Samantha Petry, 39, in the 4200 block of Freret Street shortly before 4 a.m. Friday. The call initially came in as a suicide. However, investigators reclassified the death as a homicide, and NOPD detectives developed Cooper as a suspect in what they deemed a domestic killing.
New Orleans firefighters union sues city over ‘out-of-class’ assignments without extra pay
The New Orleans firefighters' union filed suit last week against the city and its fire department, alleging Superintendent Roman Nelson is assigning firefighters to higher-responsibility jobs for which they aren't qualified, denying them additional pay and unlawfully threatening discipline if they refuse.
New Orleans jail recruit, 23, arrested on malfeasance and contraband counts, OPSO says
A sheriff’s deputy recruit working inside the New Orleans jail was arrested on counts of malfeasance in office, criminal conspiracy and introducing contraband in prison, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed Tuesday. Shion Scott, 23, of Marrero, was booked into Orleans Justice Center shortly after midnight Tuesday, jail records show. No other information was immediately available. Scott is the second OPSO employee to be arrested this month. On Aug.
Ponchatoula teen accused of negligent homicide after girl falls from moving truck, dies
A Ponchatoula teen faces a new negligent homicide count after the teen girl who fell from his moving truck died on Sunday, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office. Josean Martinez, 18, was initially booked into Tangipahoa Parish Jail on Aug. 2 on two counts of negligent injury and failure to seek assistance as well as a count of obstruction of justice, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and driving with no license.
New Orleans man held on $1.1M bond in fatal Central City shooting
A New Orleans man will be held on a $1.1 million bond after allegedly killing another man in Central City last month. Orleans Criminal District Court Magistrate Commissioner Jay Daniels on Saturday set bond for Clifton Nelson, 29, who was booked on second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. Nelson allegedly emerged from an alley and shot Robert Jorden III, 37, as he walked in the 2800 block of Second Street at around 9:39 a.m. on July 10.
Ponchatoula teen faces negligent homicide charge after girl falls from moving truck, dies
A Ponchatoula teen faces a new negligent homicide charge after the teen girl who fell from his moving truck died on Sunday, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office. Josean Martinez, 18, was initially booked into Tangipahoa Parish Jail on Aug. 2 on two counts of negligent injury and failure to seek assistance as well as a count of obstruction of justice, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and driving with no license.
Family seeks answers after New Orleans jail inmate dies days before court date
On July 19, Saliou Thiam called his cousin from the Orleans Justice Center, where he'd been incarcerated for eight months awaiting trial on two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of resisting an officer. The father of two was looking forward to an August court date, where he was scheduled to appear with his cousin, Souleymane Badiane. Badiane had been talking to Thiam's social worker and planned to give him a place to live while helping him comply with any court-ordered programs.
A guidebook for and by New Orleans violent crime survivors launches its 6th edition
In 2003, after her husband and mother-in-law were murdered in their Mid-City home, Rose Preston was forced to deal not only with a horrific new reality, but also to navigate multiple systems, both legal and bureaucratic, that she knew nothing about. "When I went through my situation, I had no help, I knew nothing. ... I was too late to get the emergency fund, and I was like, 'Why didn't someone tell me this is available?'" Preston said.
Coroner identifies New Orleans inmate found dead in jail cell
The New Orleans coroner has released the identity of a man found dead in the Orleans Justice Center on Monday morning. Saliou Thiam, 40, was discovered unresponsive at around 6:30 a.m. in his cell on in Unit E on the second floor of Orleans Justice Center’s housing unit during a deputy's rounds. EMS pronounced him dead. Thiam had been awaiting trial on two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of resisting an officer after being booked into jail on Nov. 11, 2025.
New Orleans inmates charged after fires, assaults on deputies
By Missy Wilkinson The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate NEW ORLEANS — Multiple Orleans Justice Center inmates started fires in their cells on July 5, then attacked the deputies sent to move them to a disciplinary pod, according to court records. Inmates also fought each other, threatened to jump from a second-story mezzanine, and bit and punched deputies.
Officials investigating after New Orleans inmate found dead in his cell
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating after a deputy found a man dead in his cell this morning, officials said. A deputy discovered the man unresponsive during rounds in Unit E on the second floor of the jail's housing unit at about 6:30 a.m., according to chief administrative officer Keith Lampkin. Jail medical staff began life-saving measures while awaiting emergency medical personnel, but the man could not be revived. OPSO did not release the man's identity.
NOPD is seeing a spike in job applicants in 2026. Here’s what’s driving the new success.
The New Orleans Police Department, which has struggled for years with chronic understaffing and anemic recruitment, is seeing a spike in job applicants this year thanks to strategies ranging from revamped online job board listings to swifter testing. Approximately 2,000 people have applied so far this year, with roughly a quarter submitting applications through Indeed.com, according to Civil Service Department data.
Former La. reporter launches sci-fi horror novel with UK publisher: 'Space is not a barrier' Original
A Metairie native who grew up in Baton Rouge, Brian Fontenot Jr. studied English at LSU before working as a reporter for the Tri-Parish Times, the Daily Comet and the Houma Courier. After the daily grind of parish council meetings, fires, murders and new business openings, Fontenot pivoted to technical writing. He self-published two epic fantasy novels along the way.
Veteran New Orleans police officer fired for payroll fraud months after his arrest
A New Orleans Police Department sergeant was terminated Thursday on multiple counts of payroll violations and submitting inaccurate reports, NOPD officials confirmed. Henry Burke, 58, who joined NOPD in 1983, had been suspended without pay since his February arrest by NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau on four counts of public payroll fraud and six counts of injuring public records.
Inmates set fires in cells, attacked deputies during New Orleans jail fight, records show
Multiple Orleans Justice Center inmates started fires in their cells on July 5, then attacked the deputies sent to move them to a disciplinary pod, according to court records. Inmates also fought each other, threatened to jump from a second-story mezzanine, and bit and punched deputies. The melee in Pod 3D involved at least three inmates and four deputies. Carlos Taylor, 18, and Devonn Davis, 21, were each rebooked on counts of battery of a police officer.
New Orleans Police Cut Overtime Costs 45% Amid Fraud Concerns
Six months after the city's Office of the Inspector General warned that lax overtime management at the New Orleans Police Department created an environment ripe for fraud, the department has cut overtime costs by 45% after implementing new safeguards, the OIG said Thursday. In the first half of 2025, NOPD's overtime costs, as reported on the city's BRASS program, totaled nearly $18 million. In the first half of 2026, those costs had dropped to $9.6 million — an $8.3 million reduction.
Ethics Review Board reappoints Stella Cziment as Independent Police Monitor
The city's Ethics Review Board voted on Tuesday to reappoint Independent Police Monitor Stella Cziment to a second four-year term, concluding a nationwide search that drew criticism over what meeting attendees described as a secretive selection process. "I'm so thankful for the opportunity to serve New Orleans and to be able to do this important work," Cziment said following her re-appointment.
NOPD cuts overtime costs 45% after enacting new oversight measures, Inspector General says
Six months after the city's Office of the Inspector General warned that lax overtime management at the New Orleans Police Department created an environment ripe for fraud, the department has cut overtime costs by 45% after implementing new safeguards, the OIG said Thursday. In the first half of 2025, NOPD's overtime costs, as reported on the city's BRASS program, totaled nearly $18 million. In the first half of 2026, those costs had dropped to $9.6 million — an $8.3 million reduction.
Bond for Harvey man accused of killing one in Airbnb party shooting set at $1 million
A Harvey man will be held on a $1 million bond after allegedly shooting another man in the head at a party inside a Milan short-term rental last month. Orleans Criminal District Court Magistrate Judge Juana Lombard on July 13 set bond for Joseph Washington, 24, who is charged with second-degree murder. His co-defendant, Cameron Thomas, 23, is charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder and is being held on a $150,000 bond.
Ankle monitoring company owner threatens to leave New Orleans, send 175 defendants back to jail
The owners of an ankle-monitoring company have threatened to remove 175 violent-crime defendants from their program beginning Monday, claiming uncooperative judges and mounting unpaid monitoring fees have made it impossible to continue doing business with the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court system. Matt and Jill Dennis, owners of Assured Supervision Accountability Program, on Thursday notified Mayor Helena Moreno of ASAP's pending withdrawal. They set Aug.
This New Orleans police captain is 'fishing in a barrel' for speeders in street safety push
At the Olive Branch Cafe in Algiers on Monday afternoon, customers placed orders at a new granite counter and sat at freshly refinished tables beside new windows. The remodel came courtesy of a speeding vehicle that crashed into the eatery in May, ripping through its porch and a brick wall before coming to rest near a cash register. "My first thought was, 'An 18-wheeler must have hit a car.' And then I saw a piece of the building flying," said assistant manager Richard Nguyen. NOPD Officer Y.
As traffic fatalities fall, fatal e-bike crashes are on the rise in New Orleans, officials say
Amid an ongoing slide in traffic fatalities, one category shows a concerning uptick — four e-bike riders have died in fatal crashes since April, according to the New Orleans Police Department. The e-bike deaths account for nearly one-fifth of Orleans Parish's 22 traffic fatalities so far this year. In none of those crashes did NOPD Traffic Division investigators determine that a motorist was at fault, make an arrest or issue a citation.
Appeals court upholds firing of former NOPD lieutenant over sexual harassment
A former New Orleans Police Department lieutenant will remain demoted and fired over findings that he sexually harassed a subordinate officer, the state's 4th Circuit Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday.
Memphis man accused of trafficking pregnant woman in New Orleans motel
A Memphis man was arrested on seven counts of human trafficking after allegedly exploiting a pregnant woman at a Desire-area Motel 6 — one of several stops authorities say he made while trafficking victims between Mississippi and Tennessee. Dezmon Clinton, 20, was ordered held without bond pending a Wednesday dangerousness hearing in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.
2 inmates face 73 aggravated arson counts each after Orleans jail mattress fire
By Missy Wilkinson The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate NEW ORLEANS — A fire last month in the Orleans Justice Center that led to the evacuation of an entire jail pod resulted in counts of aggravated arson for two inmates who allegedly started the blaze using a pile of mattresses, jumpsuits, blankets and Styrofoam plates. According to court records, Derrick Clayton, 24, and Jarick S.
Westwego man convicted of murder in playground shooting tied to search for opioid pills
A Jefferson Parish jury on Thursday convicted a Westwego man of fatally shooting a man on a playground in an attempt to steal opioid pills, then trying to conceal the crime by hiding his clothes and gun and returning to the scene wrapped in a towel. Byron Spottsville, 23, was found guilty of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice after jurors deliberated for about 90 minutes, according to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office.
Flash flood warning for New Orleans metro area, NWS says
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the New Orleans metro area until 4:15 p.m. as a line of strong thunderstorms moved over the region Saturday afternoon. The weather service identified southwestern Orleans, northwestern Jefferson and west central St. Bernard parishes as areas at risk of flash floods.
Flooding closes Carrollton Avenue at I-10 overpass as storms swamp New Orleans
All eastbound and westbound lanes of Carrollton Avenue at the Interstate 10 overpass are closed to traffic due to ongoing street flooding, according to the New Orleans Police Department. Motorists are urged to avoid the area until floodwaters recede, director of communications Officer Reese Harper said. The closure comes amid citywide flooding following an afternoon of severe thunderstorms that prompted a flash flood warning from the National Weather Service.
'The water just comes up': Heavy rains swamp parts of New Orleans
Multiple streets and neighborhoods across New Orleans flooded Saturday afternoon after the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning as a line of strong thunderstorms swept through. The weather service identified southwestern Orleans, northwestern Jefferson and west central St. Bernard parishes as areas at risk of flash floods. Up to 3 inches of rain had fallen as of 1:20 p.m. with up to two more inches possible, NWS said.
Former Folsom youth pastor arrested on child sex abuse allegations dating to 1990s, STPSO says
A former Folsom youth pastor was arrested Friday on allegations that he sexually abused multiple children in the 1990s, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. David Mercer, 72, was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center as a fugitive. Deputies also executed a search warrant at a residence owned by First Baptist Church of Folsom, where Mercer previously served as a youth pastor. The investigation is ongoing. Authorities believe there may be additional victims.
Woman killed by blunt force trauma in Mid-City, NOPD says
New Orleans police opened a homicide investigation Friday after a woman died of blunt force trauma to the head in Mid-City. Police responded to the 4000 block of Banks Street at around 3:15 p.m. EMS pronounced the woman dead on the scene. No other information was immediately available. This is a developing story. Anyone with information may call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111.
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