In the pre-dawn hours of February 5, 2010, the city of New Orleans was stirring with anticipation for the Saints' historic Super Bowl appearance. But in the Hollygrove neighborhood, a tragedy unfolded that would cut a young life short. Fifteen-year-old Charles Lampton Sawyer, a promising male student-athlete at Sophie B. Wright charter middle school, was found lying in the middle of Palm Street near General Ogden Street.
He had been fatally shot.
Dressed in black and gold in honor of 'Super Bowl Spirit Day' at his school, Charles was on his way to catch the school bus when he was killed. Authorities were alerted to the scene by a 911 call shortly after 6 a.m. and discovered the teenager with his black backpack lying beside him. He was an honor roll student and a shooting guard on his school's basketball team, well-regarded by his coaches and teammates.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the New Orleans Police Department had not identified a motive or any suspects in the case. The death of Charles Sawyer was recorded as the 14th homicide in the city that year. The investigation into his murder was overshadowed by the city's Super Bowl celebrations.
Years have passed since the untimely death of Charles Lampton Sawyer, and despite the initial investigation, there have been no publicly reported arrests made in connection with his murder. The case remains unsolved, and the identity of any suspect or suspects remains unknown. His family, including his parents and grandparents, were left to mourn the loss of a young man with a bright future. His funeral was held on February 13, 2010, and he was laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
