Father of 8 murdered outside family home On a pleasant Monday afternoon in New Orleans, March 7, 2016, Bernard Breaux, a 46-year-old African-American man, was enjoying the 75-degree weather, preparing to barbecue in his front yard. A devoted family man, he was outside his home at 3629 Hollygrove St. with his two young sons, aged 4 and 2, while his fiancée, Kristina Garza, was inside with their newborn.
Breaux was a father to eight children, whom he affectionately called the 'B-Nation,' and was known by family and friends as a happy and giving person.
The ordinary day took a horrific turn at approximately 2:15 p.m. when two men wearing ski masks and dark clothing approached the house and opened fire on Breaux, striking him multiple times. A neighbor recalled hearing a burst of about seven gunshots, followed by another five. A longtime friend of Breaux's, Corey McDermott, heard the shots from down the street and rushed to the scene. He found his friend grievously wounded and pleading, 'Help me,' a memory that McDermott said continues to haunt him. Breaux was transported to University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Tragedy was not a stranger to the Breaux family. Bernard's younger brother, Kenneth, was murdered in the 1980s as a teenager. More recently, on April 20, 2012, Breaux's 19-year-old son, Brandon Baker, was also murdered in what authorities believed was retaliation related to an ongoing feud. A man named Garvin Scott was convicted of second-degree murder in Baker's death in February 2015.
Despite the violent nature of Bernard Breaux's death, no arrests have been made in his case. Investigators are still searching for suspects and a motive for the shooting. The case remains open as his family continues to seek justice for their loss.
