In the late afternoon of September 14, 2016, a grim discovery was made in a grassy area off Morrison Road in New Orleans. Emergency services responded to a call about a vehicle fire and, after extinguishing the flames, found a body inside the charred remains of the car. The victim was later identified as 23-year-old Louis Perrette IV, a male of African American ethnicity.
An autopsy would later reveal that Perrette had been shot in the head.
The investigation into the young man's death led the New Orleans Police Department to release surveillance video connected to the case. The footage captured a suspect intentionally setting the vehicle on fire. In a startling turn, the individual in the video appeared to be caught in the blaze, possibly sustaining injuries from the flames. Authorities appealed to the public for assistance, suggesting that the person responsible might have sought medical treatment for burns.
A month after the discovery of Perrette's body, investigators identified a person of interest in the ongoing homicide case. The New Orleans Police Department publicly named Ronald Lewis as someone they believed might have crucial information regarding the murder. While they sought to speak with him, no warrant for his arrest in connection with the incident was issued. Despite the release of the surveillance footage and the naming of a person of interest, the case has grown cold, and no arrests have been made in the death of Louis Perrette IV. The investigation remains open as his family and community continue to await justice.
