Who was that masked driver?: The NOPD is now saying that the 33-year-old man who was run over repeatedly by a pickup truck until he died in the Marigny Triangle was suspected in 4 recent robberies in the 8th District.
Devin Legaux, of Slidell, who was killed just before 4 a.m. on 8.10.08 at Pauger and N. Rampart streets, was suspected in these robberies:
- Julia and Commerce streets, 6.27.08, 12:45 a.m.: Suspect came up behind woman and grabbed her purse.
- Bourbon and St. Philip streets, 7.19.08, 11:30 p.m.: Suspect came up behind woman and grabbed her purse.
- 700 block of Esplanade Avenue, 7.26.08, 2:38 a.m.: Suspect pulled a gun and took purse from woman's shoulder, then fled in a late model, dark colored SUV.
- Royal and Bienville streets, 8.4.08, 11:30 p.m.: Suspect, with an accomplice, pushed the victim to the ground after victim withdrew cash from an ATM and snatched the money from the victim's pocket.
About 45 minutes before he died, police said Legaux and a buddy beat up a 28-year-old man on a bicycle delivering food in the 1400 block of Pauger (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets). After he was punched several times, the deliveryman began swinging his metal lock chain to chase them away. The duo went across the street and attacked another man who was wearing a red shirt.
That fit Legaux's modus operandi: he had numerous arrests for public intimidation, extortion, aggravated battery, resisting an officer, battery of a police officer, and threatening a public official--going back to when he was 18.
Legaux's accomplice in the earlier assaults was found hiding in a backyard 2 blocks away in the 1600 block of N. Rampart Street (near Kerlerec Street). Legaux was walking with another man when the male driver of a pickup struck him and rolled back and forth over him several times. The driver fled on northbound N. Rampart toward Elysian Fields Avenue. Legaux died on the scene.
Homicide Detective Brian Pollard is in charge of the investigation. He can be reached at 658-5300 if you have information that may help solve the case. Or you can just be glad we have one less thug on the streets to intimidate us.
Bad, and worse: We reported earlier that a man was robbed early Sunday morning (8.17.08) around 1:30 a.m. at Royal and St. Peter streets. The robbery actually occurred at Royal and St. Philip streets. But there are 2 important stories here:
Roving gangs again: The victim, who had just gotten off work as a waiter, turned off Royal and was half way down St. Philip, heading toward Chartres Street, when he was mugged by a gang of 3 young black thugs, reminiscent of the gangs that terrorized the Quarter last month.
The victim was grabbed by the one kid and swung on him out of instinct. That was when the a second hoodlum put a gun in the victim's face, while a third one stood lookout. They took his messenger bag, money, wallet, a wireless card, his uniform for work and other small things.
Hear no evil, see no evil...: As bad as that was, this might be worse. While the robbery was going on, the victim said a desk clerk from the Chateau Hotel at St. Philip and Chartres Street was outside and witnessed the crime. But instead of doing anything, he went back inside and didn't even call 911.
The next day, the victim went to the hotel and spoke with the manager and told her about the clerk's indifference. The manager told him that she would speak to the clerk and get his version of the story, but that the hotel's management doesn't encourage employees to get involved in things that happen outside of the hotel.
Many who have to be out late at night walking the streets of the Quarter often plan their route to go past stores that are open, bars that are brightly lit, and hotels where desk personnel can view the street. But this method of trying to insure their safety is now suspect.
Mayhem in the Marigny: If Devin Legaux hadn't been run down and killed 3 days earlier, it would be easy to suspect him in this robbery too. On 8.13.08, a 22-year-old woman from New Jersey and the man she was with, also 22, were walking on Royal Street near Touro Street just after 2 a.m. when 2 men, one with a chrome-plated pistol, got out of a dark-colored SUV and demanded the couple's purse and wallet. The victims surrendered them, along with a cellphone.
Just a couple of weeks earlier, a woman was robbed of her purse in the 700 block of Esplanade--just a couple of blocks from this latest crime and at about the same time--by a thug who fled in a dark-colored SUV, just as described in this case. Legaux, who was killed 8.10.08, was suspected of that robbery.
Ebony & Ivory: A 31-year-old black woman sitting on the porch at 2010 Burgundy St. (between Touro and Frenchmen streets) at about 4 a.m. Tuesday (8.19.08) was accosted by a white man and a black man, who was armed with a pistol. He put the gun to her head and demanded her property. She gave up her wallet and the 2 hoodlums ran down Burgundy toward Esplanade Avenue.
The white guy was wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and a black baseball cap. The black guy was wearing a white T-shirt, black pants, and a black baseball cap.
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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.
Thom Kahler
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4 comments:
Thom, I appreciate your sentiment that the offender won't harm anyone again. However, praising street justice isn't so cool. Street Justice is also responsible for witnesses getting intimidated and property being vandalized for calling the cops.
varg: "Street Justice is also responsible for witnesses getting intimidated and property being vandalized for calling the cops."
That doesn't make any sense! I understand that street justice can get innocent people hurt but that didn't happen in this case. I think it was the 22-year-old woman from New Jersey oh wait you said that happened 3 days after he died. Hmm oh well since I can't help I guess I will go back to being glad.
It makes sense that "justice" should be meated out by the police acting for the people rather than the very people who will be rising up to fill the void left by the men they killed. At what point do these hoodlums taking matters into their own hand turn their attention toward the rest of us.
All I am saying is your embrace of this form of street justice is what doesn't make sense.
Simply reveling over the fact that this fuck is dead does not state that I or anyone else endorses vigilante justice. Since I can't offer any assistance or information (per Thom's statement) I will just be glad he is gone, one less crook thank you. Yeah the one that killed him is probably a crook too and I am sure he will pay for his crimes.
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