In the early morning hours of September 3, 2022, a fatal encounter unfolded in the parking lot of a convenience store on Loyola Drive in Kenner, Louisiana. Alejandro Quiroz, a 43-year-old male, was shot twice in what would become a homicide investigation that would grip the community. Responding officers found Quiroz wounded at approximately 4:00 AM.
He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
The initial investigation revealed that Quiroz and his assailant were not strangers; they were described by witnesses as acquaintances. Investigators learned that hours before the deadly shooting, the two men had been seen together. Surveillance footage from the area showed the suspect arriving on a motorcycle and purchasing beer and beef jerky inside the store. He was then seen drinking with Quiroz. This seemingly casual interaction took a dark turn when the suspect left and returned two hours later, this time on a bicycle. He concealed himself behind a dumpster, retrieved a pistol from his backpack, and then approached Quiroz, shooting him in the chest, face, and head before fleeing the scene.
Through a combination of surveillance evidence and valuable tips from the public, Kenner Police detectives identified the suspect as Oswaldo Dacuhna. A manhunt ensued, and Dacuhna was located and arrested in Vinton, Louisiana, on a warrant for homicide, as well as unrelated drug charges. The community's assistance, spurred by the police department's social media posts, proved crucial in developing Dacuhna as the primary suspect.
In November 2024, Oswaldo Dacuhna, then 61, faced a jury in Jefferson Parish. After a trial where the prosecution presented the extensive video evidence gathered by detectives, the jury deliberated for less than half an hour before reaching a verdict. Dacuhna was found guilty of the second-degree murder of Alejandro Quiroz. He was also convicted on a charge of obstruction of justice for disposing of the 9mm semiautomatic pistol used in the crime. In a somber turn of events related to the case, the lead Kenner Police detective, Sergeant Peter Foltz, suffered a fatal medical incident while driving to the courthouse to testify in Dacuhna's trial.
