5 years...and counting

NOcrimeline's birthday: It was 5 years ago today (3.5.12) that the first NOcrimeline report was sent out by email (the online version came a few months later). Since then 372 more reports have followed, all with the avowed purpose of keeping residents of the French Quarter and surrounding neighborhoods informed about crimes there so they can take precautions to avoid becoming a victim. I hope we've lived up to that goal.

NOcrimeline was created with the help of Capt. Edwin Hosli, then commander of the 8th District, who first checked with his good friend, Ronal Serpas, then chief of the Nashville police department, who told him, in essence, "anything you can do to get closer to the public is a plus."

Capt. Hosli wholeheartedly jumped in to help get NOcrimeline off the ground, introducing me to his officers, including his head of detectives, Lt. Eddie Selby, who regularly called NOcrimeline with major news. Capt. Hosli assigned one, Sgt. Teri Meunier to cull the NOPD crime reports and send them to NOcrimeline. She was instrumental in working out the methodology of transmitting the reports in a usable form. When she was promoted shortly after, Ofc. Brian Shubert took over the task and has been at it ever since. You have him to thank for being so conscientious in keeping us posted; no other district is as thorough and consistent as Brian is.

Shooting aftermath: In the wake of the shooting of two NOPD officers and the slaying of the shooter last week (3.1.12), typical responses emerged from both sides:

• The family of the black fella who started the ruckus, Justin B. Sipp, 20, began crowing the usual denial: "He was a good boy, he wouldn't do anything like that!" Never mind that he pled guilty to a felony a couple of years ago and was in violation of his parole, having missed a court date a couple of weeks ago. And never mind that he had a stolen and loaded .38 pistol in his pants that police say he pulled out and emptied 14 shots at the officers. (You mean to say he carried this to work at Burger King every day? Imagine what might have happened if someone told him to "hold the pickles"?) The family just couldn't believe their precious child would so something so heinous--and they wanted every agency in the world to investigate.

• NOPD officers' first concern was for the welfare of their downed compatriots, as was natural and to be expected too; investigation of the incident could wait. But as the media scrambled to assemble the story--with little input from the NOPD--cops grumbled that "the media got it wrong" or "the media is sensationalizing the story." Some officers seem to have forgotten how everyone missed the boat on the Danziger Bridge story after The Storm. It wasn't until well over 12 hours after the shootings that the NOPD put out any facts about the case; that release was followed a little over 24 hours later by a more detailed report. Both news releases were very deliberate and thorough; the NOPD should be commended for them.

The investigation continues under the eye of Sgt. Nick Gernon, who was transferred to the Homicide Squad just a few weeks ago after a very productive stint as head of the 8th District's personal crimes unit. (The officer whose traffic stop while working an off-duty detail precipitated the whole incident, Jason Giroir (left), has been a detective in the 8th District for some time.)

Slippery Narkee Hunter: It looks like New Orleans is going to have to rely on street justice to deal with the Narkee Hunter problem. The NOPD had him nailed as the shooter in the death of a not-yet-2-year-old girl in the B.W. Cooper projects just before Christmas. Now District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro says he doesn't have enough evidence to prosecute Hunter, 23. No eyewitness, no physical evidence (like a gun), and no confession, says the DA. (The police work on this is so sloppy the cops can't even agree on his birthdate: one court docket has it as "12.4.1988" and another has it as "12.5.1988.")

The last time Hunter went to court in 2010 a jury found him not guilty of murder and attempted murder. It's hard to know why the DA couldn't convince the jury; patrons at a club in the 300 block of Decatur Street were so convinced Hunter was the one who gunned down a 27-year-old guy and 18-year-old chick, they stomped the holy-hell out of Hunter (you ought to see his picture here).

Hunter's still being held in OPP on $100,000 bond on a domestic abuse charge. He won't be out before Tuesday (3.6.12) when he goes to municipal court on the charge. The next time you see him might be face down in some Central City neighborhood, the victim of the street justice the courts can't mete out but his fellow gangstas can.

Another free pass: The DA gave another free pass to a guy the NOPD was damn sure was the shooter last Halloween night who killed one guy and wounded 7 others on Bourbon Street. Even though Police Chief Ronal Serpas called Marvin Carter, 19, a possible career criminal, the grand jury refused to indict him on the murder charge. Despite all of Serpas' posturing when Carter was arrested, the NOPD had only one witness and that just wasn't good enough for the jury. (And in another case of sloppy police work, they also had dual birthdays for him.)

Gun play: Last fall--just after all the gun play on Halloween--Chief Serpas made a big deal of taking 347 illegal guns off the streets of New Orleans in September and October and, in the process, arrested a good number of hardcore felons, whom he classified as career criminals. He lambasted the courts for what he called a "drive-through criminal justice system" that released many of these offenders "with virtually no price to pay for crimes they’ve committed.”

That was then, this is now. Perhaps that zeal was as short-lived as revealing the criminal backgrounds of murder victims and putting stickers on houses searched for drugs. During the heart of Carnival--from the weekend before Mardi Gras through the wee morning hours of Ash Wednesday--10 guntoters were arrested for illegal carrying of weapons in the French Quarter. But--unlike last fall when Serpas flaunted the names of those miscreants--efforts to get reports on those Mardi Gras gun arrests were ignored: no names of the gunslingers, no idea what happens to them in court.

Perhaps it's because the NOPD--again unlike last fall--is downplaying gun arrests, like in the case of the shooting on Mardi Gras at Canal and N. Rampart streets. In the breathless prose of the NOPD's news release, "Within seconds of a shooting, NOPD officers chased down and apprehended a juvenile male and 17-year-old Eddie Howard." It went on to say the officers heard gunfire and saw two 17-year-old black boys who had been wounded in the legs by the gunfire. The officers saw 2 guys, "one with a gun" fleeing the scene. Mounted officers "spotted Howard throw a gun to the ground" and "after a brief foot chase, both suspects were apprehended."

(Curiously, the NOPD's news release pointed out that detectives didn't know "if the two suspects had any involvement in the shooting.")

The 16-year-old black boy with Howard was sent to the la-la land they call juvenile justice for a curfew violation. Though Howard was jailed and charged for illegally carrying a weapon--an offense he had been arrested previously for as a juvenile--was destined for Municipal Court, where "justice" usually amounts to a slap on the wrist. Why Serpas is not taking this gun case--and the others over Carnival--more seriously is a mystery. Someone should ask him the next time he and Mayor Mitch are whining about the murder rate in the city.

It's the guns, Ronnie, it's the guns! Get them and those who sling them off the streets of our city!

Serious crime after all: Serpas took some lumps a couple of weeks ago when he put out another one of those breathless news releases about the arrest of a felon--for the possession of a stolen cellphone. A NOcrimeline reader tipped us off that Travis Henderson, arrested in that case, was also booked a couple of weeks later for the much-publicized robbery (see the video) on Ursulines Street in in January in which a thug got out of his truck to show his young accomplice--who was botching a robbery--how to do it right.

We thought it might be a great opportunity for the NOPD to redeem itself and crow a bit about the collar they made, so we contacted the Public Information Office. But instead of dispensing any information to the public, we were told we could get the report from the Record Room for $25. (Does Serpas know this crap is going on in the name of the transparency with the public he says he espouses?)

Any way, Henderson was booked with armed robbery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and is being held in OPP on $320,000 bond.

In praise of Ofc. Jones: In a recent column, we noted the difficulties that had befallen Ofc. Roger Jones, one of the most beloved cops in the 8th District. A veteran cop-watcher from the French Quarter agrees:

"I don't know of any officer in the 8th District who had more respect among my neighbors.

"Groups of homeless drunks camping in Cabrini Park? Call Roger. They're gone in 24hours. For two weeks, a car with three flat tires and a jacked-up fourth wheel is parked illegally in front of a stop sign. It survives two street-sweeping sweeps. It takes a week of hounding from Roger, but finally, the city tows the beast away. Want to have a informal meeting with neighbors to discuss all matter of crime? Roger organizes it and gets the district's top brass to attend. More than 25 neighbors re-connect with the cops.

"We miss Roger. A few months ago, I talked to him while he was assigned to desk duty, and you could tell how much he us.

"He was going to school to get his degree. He expected NOPD to be his life for the next 20 years. I don't know the details of his case, but we both know that cops have one of the highest rates of alcoholism in our society. If Serpas wanted to be a hero, he'd find a way to get Roger treated and given a second chance."

Run-of-the-mill crimes: Crimes in and around the French Quarter the week before and the week after Mardi Gras have been few:

• Monday (2.13.12): A 21-year-old white guy walking on Decatur Street near Toulouse Street in the French Quarter was robbed at gunpoint by a black thug around 1 a..m. A little over an hour later, around 2:20 a.m., a 34-year-old white guy was robbed on Frenchmen Street near Washington Square Park in the Marigny Triangle of his money and iPhone by a black gunman.

8th District detectives managed to track the iPhone's location, and arrested Farron Woods (right), 21, with that robbery, and Elliott Tate (left), 21, with the previous one. Each was charged with armed robbery, illegal possession of stolen things, and illegally carrying weapons. Woods is being held in OPP on $95,000 bond and Tate on $115,000 bond.

• Saturday (2.18.12) 1:30 a.m.: A 24-year-old white guy was walking near Dauphine and Dumaine streets when a black punk came up and tried to take his iPhone. When he resisted, the thug pulled a handgun and got the phone as well as the victim's wallet. It must not have been a very important episode in the victim's life since he didn't report it to the NOPD for 22 hours.

He described the robber, who was long gone by this time, as in his 20's, 5'10" tall, with short hair, wearing all dark clothing. Thanks for letting him get away, jerk--don't you know that's where a doctor was murdered last fall?

• Saturday (2.18.12) 7:30 a.m.: Depending on which police report you believe, the victim was either asleep his room at the Chateau Lemoyne hotel, 301 Dauphine St., or he was followed back there by 3 "females" whom he befriended at Canal and Dauphine streets. There, the victim, a 21-year-old white boy and his friend, a 23-year-old fella, were attacked by the trio of transvestites and robbed of what they had.

An 8th District detective issued a warrant for "Segura Nelson", another bit of sloppy police work. The suspect's actual name is Nelson Segura, 26, who has been arrested numerous times before in the 8th District for prostitution and other crimes fitting the same MO, and has been blessed with suspended sentences by judges who don't take his antics too seriously.

The trouble with the cops is they get credit for solving the crime by merely identifying a suspect, whether they make an arrest or merely issue a warrant--not whether they actually take the miscreant off the streets.

• Sunday (2.19.12) 12:30 a.m.: A 21-year-old white dude who was upset he lost his iPhone somewhere inside the Dragon's Den bar at Esplanade Avenue and Frenchmen Street was asking all around if anyone had seen it. A black dude said he knew where it was and led him to Esplanade and Chartres Street where 2 other black dudes met them. The trio of blacks began beating him and during the struggle got his wallet too. Despite the ordeal, the victim was unable to describe any of the aggressors.

• Monday (2.20.12) 3:00 a.m.: A 24-year-old Hispanic guy walking near Canal and Bourbon streets was pushed from behind by a black chick who reached into his pocket and took his iPhone.

Detectives arrested Khadijad Smith, 18, charged her with simple robbery and jailed her on $10,000 bond.

• Monday (2.20.12) 3:30 p.m.: Two teenage black girls, 15 and 18, counting the money made from some undisclosed Lundi Gras endeavor at 200 N. Peters Street were robbed of it by a black dude who snatched it from their hands and fled on foot.

He was described as 5'8" tall, with a dark complexion, wearing a gray shirt, blue jeans and black jacket.

• Monday (2.20.12) 10:00 p.m.: A 42-year-old white lady walking near Baronne and Perdido streets in the CBD had her iPhone grabbed out of her hand by a Hispanic guy who fled in a blue Nissan Sentra.

Arnold Valdespino, 19, was arrested 5 days later for simple robbery; he managed to post $20,000 bond and get out of Central Lockup before his mugshot showed up in public records.

• Friday (2.24.12) 9:10 p.m.: A cabbie was sitting in his taxi near Harrah's Casino when a young black dude got in and asked to be taken to the West Bank. He reached into his pocket as to retrieve the fare, but pulled a semi-automatic pistol instead, holding it to the cabbie's head and demanding all his money. The driver handed it over and the robber fled on foot.

Video surveillance produced fuzzy imaged of the robber, who was described as 5'6" to 5'7" tall, with a medium build, wearing a blue windbreaker and blue jeans.

• Sunday (2.26.12) 10:00 p.m.: A 33-year-old Hispanic man inside the parking garage of the abandoned notorious Canal Street Hotel, 1630 Canal St., was asked to leave by a white guy there. When he refused, the white guy pulled a handgun and pointed it at the victim. He put the weapon near the victim's ear and fired, causing a ruptured eardrum though no gunshot wound.

Detectives arrested Justin Hendershot, 31, three days later and charged him with aggravated assault. He posted $5,000 bond and left Central Lockup 2 days later.

• Tuesday (2.28.12) 11:50 p.m.: A 33-year-old white woman was walking on Bourbon Street near St. Louis Street when 2 black thugs swooped down on her and snatched her iPhone from her hand.

She describe one of them as in his mid-20's, with an average build, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans; and the other only as wearing light-colored clothing.

• Saturday (3.3.12): Two pursesnatchings a little over a half hour and 5 blocks apart on Dauphine Street may be related:

• In the first, at 12:30 a.m., a 31-year-old white woman had her purse snatched by a black guy who fled on foot down St. Philip Street toward the river.

• In the second, at 1:10 a.m., a 36-year-old white woman had her purse snatched by 3 black guys who fled on foot down Toulouse Street before turning on Burgundy Street toward Canal Street.

The mugger in the first robbery was described as 20 to 30 years old, 5'6" tall, with a slim build, light complexion, dark hair, wearing a yellow shirt. The victim in the second robbery was unable to give a description of her assailants.

• Sunday (3.4.12) 2:00 a.m.: A 42-year-old man in the 500 block of Fulton Street near Harrah's Casino was robbed of his watch and wallet by 2 white guys who were described as 6' tall, weighing 180 to 190 pounds.
  

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If NOcrimeline is doing what it set out to do--keep you safer in the French Quarter--consider making a contribution to help keep it going. Go to the top right of this page and look for the SUPPORT button--you can donate any amount over $5. It will be much appreciated and show what NOcrimeline means to you.

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Recent crimes in the 8th District

Sunday (2.12.12)

Theft, 327 Bourbon, 3:00 a.m.
Theft, 315 Julia, 11:16 a.m.
Auto Theft, 618 Magazine, 12:34 p.m.
Auto Theft, 600 Burgundy, 4:10 p.m.
Shoplifting, 414 N Peters, 6:14 p.m.
Theft, 717 Orleans, 10:33 p.m.

Monday (2.13.12)

Theft, 621 St Louis, 12:40 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 500 Decatur, 12:59 a.m.
Armed Robbery, St Louis & Frenchmen, 2:23 a.m.
Theft, 739 Canal, 10:04 a.m.
Pickpocketing, Decatur & Wilkinson, 4:39 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 700 Dauphine, 8:38 p.m.

Tuesday (2.14.12)

Auto Burglary, 700 Magazine, 5:36 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 500 Natchez, 10:45 a.m.
Theft, 732 Canal, 5:41 p.m.

Wednesday (2.15.12)

Theft, 300 Julia, 12:12 a.m.
Theft, 300 Decatur, 3:30 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 810 Union, 7:38 a.m.
Theft, 8 Canal, 7:49 a.m.
Theft, 333 Poydras, 1:32 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 8 Canal, 4:33 p.m.
Auto Theft, 1012 St Peter, 4:33 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 930 Gravier, 10:54 p.m.

Thursday (2.16.12)

Pickpocketing, 700 St Ann, 1:00 a.m.
Theft, 717 Conti, 6:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 800 Perdido, 7:46 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 624 Gravier, 8:38 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 528 Baronne, 9:16 a.m.
Auto Theft, 421 Poydras, 1:26 p.m.
Theft, 628 St Charles, 4:49 p.m.

Friday (2.17.12)

Pickpocketing, 600 Canal, 11:08 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 400 Royal, 12:58 p.m.
Shoplifting, 414 N Peters, 12:57 p.m.
Shoplifting, 414 N Peters, 2:07 p.m.
Theft, 333 Poydras, 2:25 p.m.
Shoplifting, 701 Baronne, 3:41 p.m.

Saturday (2.18.12)

Pickpocketing, 400 Bourbon, 2:32 a.m.
Business Burglary, 547 Baronne, 8:12 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 200 Bourbon, 8:25 a.m.
Aggravated Burglary, 301 Dauphine, 8:39 a.m.
Theft, 315 Julia, 9:41 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 739 Canal, 10:27 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Decatur & Elysian Fields, 10:46 a.m.
Armed Robbery, Dauphine & Dumaine, 11:26 p.m.

Sunday (2.19.12)

Simple Robbery, Decatur & Esplanade, 12:42 a.m.
Simple Rape, 221 Carondelet, 3:38 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1200 Royal, 6:30 a.m.
Theft, 344 Camp, 6:32 a.m.
Theft, Burgundy & Ursulines, 9:25 a.m.
Theft, 2 Poydras, 9:46 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1010 Common, 6:45 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1010 Common, 6:51 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 900 Canal, 9:54 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 900 Canal, 9:55 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1010 Common, 10:26 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Bienville & Dauphine, 11:14 p.m.

Monday (2.20.12)

Theft, Canal & Royal, 2:06 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 900 Convention Center, 3:06 a.m.
Theft, 145 University, 4:13 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 145 University, 6:57 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1130 N Rampart, 8:19 a.m.
Theft, 132 Royal, 12:03 p.m.
Auto Theft, 350 St Joseph, 12:12 p.m.
Theft, 228 Poydras, 12:54 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Iberville & N Peters, 3:11 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Baronne & Perdido, 10:21 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 S Villere, 10:44 p.m.
Theft, 315 Julia, 11:49 p.m.

Tuesday (2.21.12)

Pickpocketing, 400 Bourbon, 12:22 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 330 Loyola, 12:20 a.m.
Theft, 214 Royal, 2:39 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 333 Baronne, 4:53 a.m.
Theft, 300 Julia, 11:29 a.m.
Auto Theft, Commerce & Julia, 11:32 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 12:42 p.m.
Theft, 400 Bourbon, 1:29 p.m.
Auto Theft, N Front & Iberville, 2:44 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Baronne & Canal, 4:32 p.m.
Auto Theft, Clinton & Iberville, 5:59 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Bourbon & Conti, 7:55 p.m.
Shooting, Canal & N Rampart, 8:31 p.m.
Auto Theft, 600 Esplanade, 8:53 p.m.
Theft, 800 Bourbon, 10:47 p.m.
Auto Theft, Common & S Rampart, 11:24 p.m.
Theft, Bienville& Bourbon, 11:42 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Conti & Dauphine, 11:56 p.m.

Wednesday (2.22.12)

Pickpocketing, 200 Bourbon, 3:53 a.m.
Theft, S Claiborne & Gravier, 6:03 a.m.
Theft, 621 Canal, 8:02 a.m.
Theft, 927 Convention Center, 8:20 a.m.
Auto Theft, N Rampart & St Louis, 10:33 a.m.
Theft, 718 St Peter, 10:54 a.m.
Theft, 701 S Rampart, 11:26 a.m.
Auto Theft, 2300 Burgundy, 1:59 p.m.
Auto Theft, Elysian Fields & N Peters, 2:55 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1700 N Rampart, 6:24 p.m.
Theft, 215 Baronne, 7:46 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 200 Bourbon, 10:13 p.m.

Thursday (2.23.12)

Theft, 1013 St Ann, 4:54 a.m.
Auto Theft, 700 Constance, 10:21 a.m.
Theft, 221 Camp, 6:27 p.m.

Friday (2.24.12)

Theft, 441 Bourbon, 2:17 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1003 Tchoupitoulas, 9:00 a.m.
Auto Theft, 2447 Dauphine, 9:27 a.m.
Auto Theft, 921 Canal, 10:13 a.m.
Shoplifting, 921 Canal, 10:38 a.m.
Business Burglary, 547 St Ann, 12:29 p.m.
Auto Theft, 500 Mandeville, 5:37 p.m.
Theft, 840 Tchoupitoulas, 6:30 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 700 S Peters, 9:16 p.m.

Saturday (2.25.12)

Pickpocketing, 441 Bourbon, 1:58 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 Burgundy, 6:21 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 905 Orleans, 6:25 a.m.
Theft, 1417 Burgundy, 9:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 Dumaine, 12:43 p.m.
Theft, 700 Lafayette, 5:24 p.m.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler

MURDER MYSTERIES ...unsolved cold cases in and around the French Quarter

The NOPD's Cold Case Squad--headed by Sgt. Daniel McMullen--reviews cases based on numerous different factors and explores how new technology and resources (i.e. DNA, fingerprint and informational databases, etc.) might impact a renewed investigation. If the inquiry identifies new suspects, or strengthens the case against known subjects, the case is reopened. There are currently about 2,000 cold cases that remain unsolved. If anyone has any information, contact Sgt. McMullen at (504) 658-5318 (office) or (504) 658-5318 (cellphone), or email him at demcmullen@nola.gov.

The cold case file of the NOPD holds records of the murders of at least 5 people with connections to the French Quarter whose killers are still walking the streets of the city:

DR. RALPH EDWARD NEWSOME--Oct. 31, 2009: One can only speculate on the motive in the murder of Dr. Ralph Edward Newsome, 45, inside his 3-story townhouse at 926 Toulouse St. early on Oct. 31, 2009.

His body was discovered after 68 firemen extinguished a 2-alarm fire seen shooting from the second floor around 3 a.m. He had been stabbed multiple times, but had not been burned. Fire fighters found him unconscious and brought him out of the building to EMTs. They took him to LSU Interim Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigators speculate the murderer had tried to cover up the crime with arson.

He was assistant dean of medical education and was the chief of plastic surgery at Tulane's School of Medicine. He bought his Toulouse Street residence in 2003 and had extensively renovated it, particularly its gardens.

His murder fits a pattern seen in police reports many times before: A gay man is murdered/beaten/robbed by someone he invited in. It's sad but reflects the dangers of what are often casual encounters by men and women who hook up in bars and clubs. But there is something more powerful and dangerous in the all-male dynamic that often results in tragedy.

A reward of $8,000 is offered by CrimeStoppers for information leading to the arrest of his murder.

JESSICA HAWK--Aug. 11, 2008: Jessica Hawk, 32, was found dead the morning of Aug. 11, 2008 in her home at 3013 Chartres St. in the Bywater, where she lived alone. Her nude body was propped up against a chair and had been stabbed multiple times. It is believed she may have been dead for a couple of days before her corpse was found.

About a month after her death, NOPD homicide detectives released an artist's sketch of a possible suspect in her slaying. They described him as a clean-cut white man, 25 to 35 years old, 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds. He was wearing a black crewneck jersey with elbow-length sleeves over a white shirt with 3" white cuffs. No one has been able to put a name on anyone based on that sketch.

A reward of $25,000 is being offered by CrimeStoppers.

CHRIS ROBERTS--June 17, 2007: The trail has gone cold for the killer who gunned down Chris Roberts, 33, in the doorway of his apartment building at Esplanade Avenue and N. Prieur Street in Esplanade Ridge around 8 p.m. on June 6, 2007 and stole his prized motorcycle.

Roberts hadn't been back long from his refuge from the storm in Huntsville, AL with his wife and infant daughter. Working at Fiorella's restaurant in the 1100 block of Decatur Street instead of his beloved occupation as a motorcycle designer/mechanic, he resumed the friendships he had in the Quarter before Katrina.

A reward of $3,000 is offered by CrimeStoppers.

HELEN HILL--Jan. 4, 2007: A pre-dawn home invasion on Jan. 4, 2007 at their home on the corner of N. Rampart and Spain streets in the Faubourg Marigny--about 10 blocks from where Jessica Hawk was murdered--left Hill dead with a bullet in her neck, her husband wounded 3 times, and their toddler son unharmed.

The murder of Hill, 36, a well-liked independent film maker, practically created a cottage industry of protesting the city's soaring murder rate. Hill was one of 6 people murdered in the city that same day, and followed by one week the slaying of well-known musician Dinerral Shavers. It was too much for the citizens of the city--anti-crime groups formed and thousands marched on City Hall on Jan. 11, 2007, demanding action. They got hollow promises but no action.

A reward of $15,000 is offered by CrimeStoppers.

MICHAEL FREY--March 19, 2006: The murder of Michael Frey on March 19, 2006 is believed to be the first in the NOPD's 8th District since the storm. But now, most of the news articles about him--and even tributes to him--have disappeared from the archives of the Times-Picayune and Gambit.

Frey, 28, was reportedly heading home to the Fabourg Marigny after leaving Molly's At The Market, 1107 Decatur St., when he was held up in the early morning hours of 3.19.2006 in the 2100 block of Chartres Street. Though Frey handed over his wallet as the robber demanded, the thug blasted him in the chest with a shotgun, killing him almost instantly.

CrimeStoppers lists no reward for his murderer.

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If you have any information on any of these crimes, you can call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 822-1111 to be eligible for the reward.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler

Still WANTED for murder

"Wanted" posters circulated in 2010 for Francisco "Chico" Amaral--whom police say is the prime suspect in the murder of Ryan Trosclair (left)--have all but disappeared, as has Amaral.

Police will not say why they think Amaral, 57, committed the crime, but they think he has shed his scruffy appearance (below right) by shaving his beard and head (top right), and is now somewhere in the San Francisco Bay area. He is wanted for simple kidnapping and 2nd-degree murder.

At first, police reported Trosclair, 35, was beaten to death near Washington Square Park between 4 and 7 p.m. on July 22, 2010. Two days later, his charred corpse was found in a field in New Orleans East. Now NOPD homicide Det. Andrew Packer believes the beating occurred in the 2100 block of Chartres Street, in the Marigny Triangle between Frenchmen Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, where Amaral formerly resided. (It was in that same block that Michael Frey was murdered in 2006.)

Det. Packer speculated Trosclair was the victim of a drug deal gone bad. Trosclair, who had a bevy of friends in New Orleans (over 1,200 have "liked" a Facebook page dedicated to finding his killer), who lived in Slidell, grew up in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans. He had been arrested a couple of times on drug charges; his stepfather said Trosclair had been addicted to alcohol, cocaine and heroin for most of his life.

CrimeStoppers has tripled the reward to $7,500 for finding his killer. You can call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 822-1111 or Det. Packer at 784-7984 if you have information on Amaral's whereabouts.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler

Where did all the crime go?

Must be doing something right: In January, crime was as bad as I've seen it in the French Quarter in the last 5 years. Now, come February, it's remarkably tame.

In the 11 days since the first of the month, there have been 14 assaults, 6 robberies, and 3 rapes in the NOPD's 8th District, which includes the Quarter, CBD, and the Marigny Triangle and the newly-added Marigny Rectangle. And, to tell the truth, we haven't heard much of murders anywhere in the city in that time.

Makes you think the NOPD must be doing something right.

On the other hand...: 8th District cops have proven once again that they don't seem to know how to deal with violent assaults, and tend to cover them up until the public inquires. This horrific attack 2 weeks ago appeared nowhere in NOPD reports (nor the much vaunted Crime Map) until NOcrimeline inquired after a relative of the victim's asked us about it:

Around 3 a.m. on Sunday (1.29.12), 2 young men walking near the Jax Brewery parking lot on Decatur Street came upon a young woman being put upon by 3 young guys and they tried to come to her rescue. The first victim was struck by 2 of the boys. When the second victim tried to come to the aid of his compatriot, he was beaten to the ground by all 3 bullies, where they continued striking him until he lost consciousness with a jaw fractured in 3 places, his sinus cavity crushed, and cranial bleeding. He was hospitalized. The police couldn't say how old he is.

Using a video recorded by a nearby resident, detectives issued arrest warrants for 3 19-year-olds with frat-boy-sounding names: Richard J. Bienvenu IV, Brock R. Miramon, and Alexander K. Riecke. They were each charged with second-degree battery which carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison for inflicting "serious bodily injury." They surrendered to 8th District cops 4 days after the incident.

With apparently well-connected parents, they avoided the unpleasantness of Central Lockup by having the newest Criminal Court Judge, Franz Zibilich, preset bonds of $2,500 which kept them out of the slammer (hence, their booking mugshots are not available). They are all due in court 4.1.12.

It does beg the question: Are the cops covering up crimes like this? And it behooves you if you know of a crime to give NOcrimeline a shout--maybe we can find something out.

[Danny Monteverde of the Times-Picayune did a follow-up story on this with many more details.]

Speaking of cover-ups: Last May, the NOPD made a big deal of issuing a press release about Cynthia Hughes Rogers, 53, being wanted for embezzlement of over $60,000 from an apartment rental company in the French Quarter and a contractor in Kenner. She allegedly used the proceeds to buy a pearl-colored 2007 Lexus GS.

When Rogers finally was captured or turned herself in September, there was no notice from the NOPD. She was charged with 17 counts of theft and 17 counts of fraud. Her bond was set at $68,000, but when her court date came in November, she was already out of OPP (if she was ever in). The court record only says the charges were "referred", whatever that means. The NOPD won't say. District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro won't explain.

It sounds like a theft of that magnitude is being swept under the rug. I guess there's a big difference in the DA's book between being a blonde white woman driving a Lexus who steals $60,000 and a black guy who steals a $200 iPhone.

Case in point: Last Saturday (2.4.12), the NOPD made a big deal of tracking down and arresting a 30-year-old black guy, Travis Henderson. He allegedly boosted an iPhone and wallet from a woman's purse in a club in the 400 block of Bourbon Street around 1:10 a.m.

Using the tracking device on the phone, detectives traced the phone to the Chevron station at N. Rampart and St. Louis streets, right across from the NOPD's 1st District station. When they called the phone's number, Henderson allegedly reaching into his pants pocket for the phone. When police searched him, they said they also found $100 in cash in his pockets, along with the woman's credit cards, debit card and driver's license.

The press release claims detectives charged him with simple robbery, but court records indicate he was booked with only illegal possession of stolen things over $1,500. He sits in OPP in lieu of $30,000 bond. (Heaven help him if he had stolen over $60,000.)

The release labeled Henderson as a "possible career criminal" with his 9 felony, 12 misdemeanor, and 21 municipal arrests, most from 1999 when Henderson was 18. The NOPD didn't indicate if the blonde white woman had any prior arrests.

The rest of the robberies: Really, this is the extent of robberies since the first of the month--if the NOPD can be believed:

• Friday (2.3.12) 7:10 p.m.: A 45-year-old white man was robbed in front of 2273 Decatur St. (in the 8th District's newly expanded patrol area in the Marigny Rectangle) by 2 black hoodlums who stuck what was believed to be a gun in his back. They emptied his pockets and fled on foot toward St. Claude Avenue.

One robber was described as 6'4" tall with a slim build, wearing all dark clothing; the other was 5'5" tall, with a medium build, wearing a white sweatshirt and dark pants.

• Saturday (2.4.12) 11:45 p.m.: A 20-year-old white girl was walking in the 600 block of Spain Street in the Marigny Rectangle when 2 white thugs stuck what was believed to be a gun in her back and demanded money. She complied and they fled on foot toward the river.

One robber was described as in his 20's, 5'10" tall, wearing baggy clothes; the other was 5'10" tall, with a shaved head, also wearing baggy clothes.

• Sunday (2.5.12) 7:00 a.m.: A 22-year-old white man walking in the 600 block of Burgundy Street (between Toulouse and St. Peter streets) was robbed by 2 white guys whose descriptions sound a lot like those of the robbers of a white girl the day before in the Marigny. Apparently the victim had met the guys earlier the night before and got into an argument with them. They beat him up and cleaned out his pockets before fleeing in a silver-colored truck.

Both are described as 5'10" tall with thin builds, one with short dirty-blond hair, wearing a light-colored T-shirt and blue jeans, and the other wearing a white polo shirt.

• Tuesday (2.7.12) 7:45 a.m.: A 13-year-old black school girl waiting for the bus near Canal Street and Elk Place was robbed by a 14-year-old black girl she knew. The girl asked for money, then to use the victim's cellphone. The victim refused, but the older girl grabbed the phone from her hand and fled on foot.

Police nabbed the 14-year-old, who will disappear into the juvenile "justice" system, charged with simple robbery.

• Tuesday (2.7.12) 10:40 p.m.: A 21-year-old white man was robbed on by a gang of 3 black guys, one of whom stuck his hand behind the victim's back, implying he had a weapon, while the other 2 pushed him against the wall and rifled through his pockets. The trio fled on foot on Conti toward the river, but 2 were apprehended by cops.

They charged George Bradford (right), 26, and Reginald Gooden (left), 27, with first-degree robbery. Each is being held in OPP on $100,000 bond. The third member of the trio is still at large.

Rapes all around: The NOPD is reluctant to report rapes to the public, even though there were 3 of them in 4 days last week in the 8th District. For all we know, there might be a serial rapist running loose in the French Quarter:

• Saturday (2.4.12) 12:52 a.m.: Simple rape in the 141 S. Rampart St. (near Canal Street).

• Sunday (2.5.12) 11:36 p.m.: Aggravated rape in the 600 block of Bourbon Street (between Toulouse and St. Peter streets).

• Tuesday (2.7.12) 3:24 p.m.: A man raped in the 300 block of O'Keefe Avenue, possibly in the O'Keefe Plaza Hotel.

Remember the gang rape in Central City a couple of weeks ago? The NOPD wouldn't give any details on that brutal attack, though the victim's friends did. They might have continued the cover-up without the public's outcry and not have arrested 5 suspects in the case. The rule seems to be: Holler loud and long until you get the information you need--and contact NOcrimeline.

Good cop gone bad, briefly: There are few cops in the 8th District more beloved than former Quality of Life officer Roger Jones Jr. But the soft-spoken Jones, 38, was suspended without pay from the NOPD this past week after his counterparts in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans said he got liquored up last fall and was involved in 2 hit-and-run accidents with his police cruiser in those jurisdictions on the same day.

It's not to say those misdeeds ought to go unpunished if Jones is found guilty. But Super Chief Ronal Serpas has a bad habit of throwing away good cops for dubious offenses (see Jeff Winn, Marlon DeFillo, among others). Serpas' own son-in-law had a similar mishap before Serpas was appointed chief, but survived it and went on to be a fine detective in the 8th District.

Travis Ward, then 33, was initially charged with DWI after totaling a police cruiser while a member of the SWAT team, but the charge was reduced to a minor traffic offense. He was suspended without pay for 60 days.

All of this occurred before Serpas became chief, but nonetheless Serpas should show similar mercy on Jones, rather than lose a good officer the public adores.

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Recent crimes in the 8th District

Sunday (1.29.12)

Theft, 640 Bourbon, 4:07 a.m.
Theft, 227 Bourbon, 4:55 a.m.
Theft, 333 Poydras, 11:26 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 836 Elysian Fields, 3:36 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 400 Bourbon, 4:00 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Girod & LaSalle, 8:07 p.m.
Shoplifting, 127 Royal, 8:35 p.m.
Theft, 409 O'Keefe, 8:47 p.m.

Monday (1.30.12)

Theft, 501 Decatur, 9:29 a.m.
Auto Theft, 200 Decatur, 1:07 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 600 Burgundy, 3:44 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 600 Kerlerec, 4:24 p.m.
Theft, 626 Kerlerec, 5:37 p.m.
Theft, 8 Canal, 10:19 p.m.

Tuesday (1.31.12)

Theft, Bourbon & St Ann, 4:14 a.m.
Auto Theft, 816 S Peters, 2:34 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, LaSalle & Perdido, 3:14 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 818 Chartres, 4:01 p.m.

Wednesday (2.1.12)

Theft, 441 Bourbon, 12:27 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1200 N Peters, 8:02 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 800 Decatur, 8:51 a.m.
Theft, 1501 Girod, 11:51 a.m.
Theft, 500 Port of New Orleans, 1:30 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 Iberville, 6:57 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 Iberville, 8:12 p.m.
Theft, 900 Convention Center, 8:18 p.m.

Thursday (2.2.12)

Theft, 441 Bourbon, 12:22 a.m.
Auto Theft, O'Keefe & Poydras, 11:22 a.m.
Auto Theft, Canal & N Villere, 1:57 p.m.
Theft, 424 Bourbon, 9:59 p.m.
Theft, 8 Canal, 10:50 p.m.
Theft, 700 Bourbon, 11:05 p.m.
Theft, 227 Bourbon, 11:16 p.m.

Friday (2.3.12)

Theft, 639 Loyola, 6:52 a.m.
Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 12:24 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 200 Bourbon, 4:10 p.m.
Shoplifting, 400 N Peters, 6:27 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 2273 Decatur, 7:14 p.m.

Saturday (2.4.12)

Rape, 141 S Rampart, 12:52 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 600 Bourbon, 1:21 a.m.
Pickpocketing, Bourbon & St Louis, 10:47 p.m.

Sunday (2.5.12)

Simple Robbery, 600 Burgundy, 6:36 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 334 Royal, 9:45 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 600 Spain, 9:54 a.m.
Auto Theft, Ntachez & Tchoupitoulas, 10:12 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1008 N Peters, 1:39 p.m.
Auto Theft, 310 Andrew Higgins, 3:16 p.m.

Monday (2.6.12)

Auto Burglary, Burgundy & Iberville, 2:38 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 200 Bourbon, 4:28 a.m.
Theft, 2 Poydras, 7:46 a.m.
Theft, 908 Esplanade, 9:51 a.m.
Shoplifting, 800 Canal, 8:31 p.m.

Tuesday (2.7.12)

Theft, 8 Canal, 12:18 a.m.
Theft, 800 Canal, 3:52 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Canal & Elk, 9:25 a.m.
Auto Theft, 2000 Royal, 1:49 p.m.
Theft, 416 Bourbon, 8:50 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 2100 Decatur, 10:07 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 300 Bourbon, 10:31 p.m.

Wednesday (2.8.12)

Theft, 423 Bourbon, 12:58 a.m.
Theft, 441 Bourbon, 1:25 a.m.
Theft, 345 St Joseph, 12:01 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Baronne, 6:25 p.m.

Thursday (2.9.12)

Theft, 900 Convention Center, 8:37 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1415 Girod, 12:14 p.m.
Theft, 219 Loyola, 12:15 p.m.
Shoplifting, 522 Bourbon, 7:45 p.m.
Theft, 511 Bourbon, 11:06 p.m.

Friday (2.10.12)

Auto Burglary, 200 Burgundy, 2:24 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Church & Julia, 11:00 a.m.
Theft, 721 Iberville, 3:29 p.m.
Auto Theft, 923 Constance, 9:48 p.m.

Saturday (2.11.12)

Pickpocketing, 500 Bourbon, 4:26 a.m.
Theft, 221 Carondelet, 12:16 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 333 Canal, 5:22 p.m.
Theft, 850 Convention Center, 8:14 p.m.
Theft, 315 Julia, 10:10 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 500 Bourbon, 11:27 p.m.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler