In the summer of 2015, a visit between friends in New Orleans ended in a shocking act of violence that claimed two lives and left a community searching for answers. On June 12, 38-year-old Cinque Rashad Stallworth, a male, went to a home in eastern New Orleans where his friend, Kimberly Claire Gerdes, age 40, was present. Shortly after Stallworth stepped inside, an unidentified man who had followed him into the residence shot him in the back of the head.
The gunman then turned his weapon
on Gerdes, fatally shooting her as well before fleeing the scene. A witness in the home at the time was unharmed and was later able to provide investigators with a description of the assailant. The New Orleans Police Department subsequently released a composite sketch of the man wanted in connection with the double homicide, hoping to generate leads from the public.
In the days that followed, the families of both Stallworth and Gerdes were left to grapple with their sudden and violent loss. Stallworth was remembered by loved ones as a father, son, and brother. Despite the circulation of the suspect's sketch and pleas for information from law enforcement, the case grew cold. There have been no reports of arrests made in the years since the killings, and the motive behind the brutal slayings remains unclear. The case stands as a painful reminder of a tragedy that unfolded on a quiet day, leaving a lasting scar on the lives of two families.
