In the heat of a New Orleans afternoon on July 2, 2019, Kendrick Randal Cockerham, a 40-year-old man, was fatally shot in a brazen act of violence that also claimed the life of his father. The incident unfolded in New Orleans East at the intersection of Downman and Dwyer roads, shattering the day's calm and leaving a community in shock.
The attack was shockingly deliberate.
A pickup truck arrived at the scene, and from it, a gunman emerged, first targeting Kendrick's 61-year-old father, Stephen George Jr. After shooting him, the assailant brazenly circled back. In a horrifying escalation of the violence, the gunman then opened fire into a crowd that had gathered, striking and killing Kendrick. A third person was also wounded in the shooting but survived.
The double homicide sent ripples of grief and fear through the area. Law enforcement officials began their investigation, piecing together the events of that tragic afternoon. Public appeals were made for any information that could lead to the identification and capture of the person or persons responsible for the brutal killings.
Despite the public nature of the attack and the presence of witnesses, the investigation proved to be challenging. As of June 2020, nearly a year after the murders, authorities had not publicly identified any suspects in the case. A substantial reward was offered for any information that could lead to an arrest and indictment, a clear indication of the difficulties faced by investigators in bringing closure to the grieving families. The case of who killed Kendrick Randal Cockerham and his father remains a painful and unresolved chapter for their loved ones and the city of New Orleans.
