In the early morning hours of January 8, 2018, the life of 29-year-old Idrick Brister was tragically cut short in a fatal shooting in New Orleans East. Brister was discovered outside his home having sustained two gunshot wounds to his head. The incident was reported to the authorities by his fiancée, Jontrice Mims, in a distressing 911 call made at approximately 6:30 a.m.
The investigation into Brister's death quickly focused on Christopher Alexander, the ex-boyfriend of Mims.
Investigators determined that jealousy was the motive behind the murder. Evidence gathered included social media messages that revealed Alexander's anger and heartbreak over his past relationship with Mims, who had moved on with Brister. Digital forensic analysis of Alexander's phone uncovered a deleted call for a cab to a location near the crime scene and a period of cell phone inactivity around the time of the shooting. Investigators also noted that a muddy footprint found in an alleyway suggested the shooter approached the residence in a manner to avoid being seen by exterior cameras.
During questioning by a New Orleans Police Department detective, Alexander initially denied his involvement. However, he later confessed to the murder. This confession, along with a videotaped confession to his mother, became key pieces of evidence. Despite legal challenges that led to the suppression of these confessions by the Louisiana Supreme Court in 2018 and 2019 due to a violation of his Miranda rights, the prosecution moved forward with the case. The murder weapon, identified as a semi-automatic firearm based on the three forty-five caliber shell casings recovered at the scene, was never found.
In March 2022, Christopher Alexander stood trial for the murder of Idrick Brister. On March 24, 2022, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice. Subsequently, on November 4, 2022, Alexander was sentenced to life in prison at hard labor without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence for the murder charge. He also received a concurrent sentence of twenty-five years at hard labor for obstruction of justice.
