On a Thursday afternoon in Metairie, Louisiana, the esteemed Dr. Elbert 'Bert' H. Goodier, III, a 75-year-old urologist, was attending to a patient in his office located on the campus of East Jefferson General Hospital. The day took a tragic turn when another patient, 73-year-old John P. Thomas of Kenner, entered the examination room and, without any apparent warning, shot Dr. Goodier in the head. The violent act unfolded around 2:00 p.m.
on March 24, 2016.
Following the shooting, Thomas fled the medical building, making his way through nearby bushes and across streets to a Wendy's restaurant on West Esplanade Avenue. As 911 dispatchers were flooded with frantic calls, law enforcement officers quickly responded and pursued Thomas to the fast-food establishment. Upon an officer making eye contact with him inside the restaurant, Thomas tragically took his own life with the same handgun used to murder Dr. Goodier.
The investigation that followed revealed that Thomas was indeed a patient of Dr. Goodier. Family members of Thomas informed detectives that he had a history of mental illness, which is believed to have been a factor in the murder-suicide. Authorities confirmed that Thomas did not have a prior criminal record. The incident left the local community and the medical field in shock, as Dr. Goodier was described by colleagues and patients as a highly respected and wonderful physician who had served the New Orleans area for 43 years. The patient who was with Dr. Goodier at the time of the shooting was not physically harmed.
