On a Little Woods street corner that usually sees more commuters than crime tape, New Orleans police spent Saturday piecing together what they are now treating as a homicide.
Officers were called out to West Laverne Street and Erin Drive in New Orleans East for a report of a suspicious person, where they found an adult man unresponsive on the corner. EMS workers arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene, and homicide detectives were called in to take over the case. Police stayed on the block into the investigation, which remained active as of Saturday. No arrests have been made, and officials have not yet released the cause or manner of death.
What police say
According to WWL-TV, Seventh District officers responded to the intersection after the call and located the man unresponsive, with EMS confirming he was dead on scene. The New Orleans Police Department has classified the investigation as a homicide, and detectives were seen processing evidence on the block.
Investigators have not released any suspect description or details about how the man died, and police say they will provide updates when more information becomes available. For now, the questions hanging over that corner outnumber the answers.
Where it happened
The corner of W. Laverne Street and Erin Drive sits in the Little Woods section of New Orleans East, a neighborhood that has already been on edge after a series of high-profile violent incidents in recent months.
Recent cases nearby include a daylight killing on Fordham Court and midday gunfire turning Chase Street into a crime scene, incidents that helped prompt stepped-up patrols in the area. That run of violence has left many residents wary while detectives once again canvass for witnesses and any video that might fill in the gaps.
How to help investigators
Anyone with information about the death at W. Laverne and Erin is asked to call NOPD Homicide at (504) 658-5300. Tipsters who prefer to stay anonymous can reach out to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans.
Police are urging residents in and around Little Woods to check doorbell cameras, home security systems and dash cams for anything that might have captured the man on the corner, unusual activity, or people coming and going around the time of the incident.
