An 18-year-old African American male named John Edward 'Studda' Harris III was fatally wounded on Sunday, December 27, 2020, in the New Orleans area. The incident occurred just after 1 p.m. near the 600 block of Ames Boulevard in Marrero. Harris was transported to a local hospital by a private vehicle, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
His death was classified as a homicide.
The circumstances surrounding the death of John Harris III are enmeshed in a sprawling and dangerous criminal enterprise that plagued the streets of New Orleans. While not a direct participant, he is considered an unfortunate casualty of a widespread staged-accident fraud scheme. This elaborate racket targeted trucking companies and their insurers, involving individuals who would intentionally cause automobile collisions with commercial vehicles to fabricate insurance claims. The aftermath of these staged events would see the 'slammers,' or drivers who caused the accidents, flee the scene, leaving a passenger to falsely claim they were the one behind the wheel. These recruited passengers would then file fraudulent lawsuits, further lining the pockets of the scheme's organizers.
A central figure in this far-reaching conspiracy was Ryan J. 'Red' Harris, a 36-year-old from New Orleans. He operated as a 'slammer,' deliberately crashing into vehicles. His involvement didn't end there; he also directed the passengers to complicit attorneys who would then initiate bogus legal proceedings. The violent undercurrent of this criminal network was exposed when Ryan Harris admitted his role in aiding and abetting the murder of a cooperating federal witness, Cornelius Garrison. Garrison, who was also involved in the scheme as a 'slammer,' had been secretly collaborating with federal agents since October 2019. He was shot and killed outside his home on September 22, 2020, in an effort to silence him and protect the multimillion-dollar fraud.
Following an extensive investigation by federal and local law enforcement, Ryan Harris was arrested. He subsequently pleaded guilty to a raft of charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, and causing a death through the use of a firearm. As part of a plea agreement, he faces a sentence of 35 years in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for September 23, 2025. While the broader conspiracy has seen numerous individuals brought to justice, online sources do not contain information regarding any specific arrests or suspects directly linked to the homicide of John Studda Harris III. His death serves as a tragic reminder of the devastating and often unforeseen consequences of organized criminal activity.
