A high-profile New Orleans homicide case is suddenly on shakier ground after prosecutors asked a judge on Friday to revoke the bond of a woman accused of fatally shooting her boyfriend in a downtown hotel. The move came after the defendant allegedly skipped a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, a no-show that prosecutors say could stall the case and force the court to reset key mental-health assessments. A bond-revocation hearing is now set for March 20, and for the moment the defendant remains free on bond as the case heads toward a September trial, as reported by WWLTV.
Missed psychiatric exam triggered the motion
According to prosecutors, the defendant failed to appear for a psychiatric exam scheduled for March 12 as part of her plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, a key step in determining her mental state at the time of the shooting. Rescheduling that evaluation would slow pretrial work, prosecutors argue, according to WWLTV.
The filing also outlines that prosecutors have lined up an outside mental-health expert to assess the defendant's condition at the time of the shooting, setting up what could be a contentious battle of experts if the case reaches trial.
Victim and earlier arrest
The victim, 29-year-old Nicolas Harrison, was found with gunshot wounds on Dec. 27, 2022 in a room at the Courtyard by Marriott on Julia Street in the Warehouse District, local reporting shows. WDSU reported that authorities arrested a suspect in the weeks following the killing.
Case timeline and court dates
Prosecutors say Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams reopened the homicide investigation in January 2025 and formally charged the defendant that same month, allowing her to remain out on bond while the case moved forward. The defendant shifted her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity late in 2025, and Judge Kimya Holmes ordered a psychiatric evaluation after that change. Defense attorney Kevin Boshea had coordinated the March 12 appointment.
After the missed exam, prosecutors moved to have the bond revoked, and the trial is currently scheduled to begin Sept. 15, 2026, according to WWLTV.
What a revocation would mean
If the judge revokes bond, the defendant would be taken back into custody while the court resets the psychiatric evaluation and the case moves through pretrial motions. At the March 20 hearing, defense counsel will have a chance to explain the missed appointment, while prosecutors press their argument that she should be remanded.
Harrison's family has been demanding accountability since his death; his mother told reporters, "We need justice for my son," according to WDSU. The upcoming hearing and subsequent court filings will decide whether the defendant remains free on bond as the case marches toward trial.
