Nearly two decades after he was run down on a Mardi Gras night, the family of Toby Beaugh is stepping back into the spotlight, renewing a very public push for answers in the hit-and-run that claimed his life just blocks from their Uptown home. Relatives say the driver who swung back around and fatally struck him has never been identified, and they are urging anyone with even the smallest detail to speak up.
According to WWL‑TV, family members met with local reporters on Thursday to call for fresh tips and to remind New Orleanians that the case is still officially open. The station reports that relatives are again partnering with Crime Stoppers and the New Orleans Police Department, boosting flyers and social media posts in hopes that renewed visibility will shake loose a lead as the February 25, 2006, anniversary approaches.
The night he died
Project: Cold Case notes that Beaugh, 29, was walking home with his wife after Mardi Gras festivities when a black pickup that had earlier cut them off circled the block and then hit him, killing him in the street. Witnesses described the truck as possibly a Toyota Tacoma with chrome wheel accents, and a 2006 account from CNN outlines the final moments before impact at Magazine and Cadiz Streets. Contemporary coverage from the time indicates that investigators did not identify a suspect in the immediate aftermath of the crash.
Family's campaign
The Beaugh family has pulled together a resource page titled "Justice For Toby Beaugh" where they collect news clippings, a case flyer and key contact details, as listed on their Linktree. Relatives say they are counting on renewed attention to jog memories, stir up old conversations, or even bring forward forgotten neighborhood camera footage that might help fill in the gaps.
How to help
The New Orleans Police Department homicide line and Crime Stoppers remain the main outlets for tips. Project: Cold Case lists the NOPD Homicide Line at (504) 658-5300 and Crime Stoppers at (504) 822-1111. Tips can be sent anonymously through the Crime Stoppers hotline or online form, and the family stresses that even something that seems minor could be the one detail detectives have been missing.
Cold-case push
Across the city, efforts to revisit older killings have been gaining momentum as the department devotes more time to long-stagnant files. FOX8 reported last year that NOPD reassigned detectives to special‑victims and cold‑case units, giving long-quiet cases another look. The Beaugh family says they intend to keep pressing, publicly and persistently, until someone finally comes forward.
