In the late summer of 1991, the city of New Orleans was gripped by a growing fear as a series of brutal murders began to unfold. Among the victims was Charlene Price, a 28-year-old African-American woman. On September 22, 1991, her body was discovered in a park in the city, bearing the marks of a violent struggle. An autopsy would later confirm that she had been beaten and strangled to death.
Price had a history of drug abuse, a vulnerability that may have made her a target for the predator who stalked the city's streets.
Her death was not an isolated incident but rather a piece of a horrifying puzzle that would come to be known as the work of the 'Storyville Slayer.' This elusive serial killer, or possibly multiple killers, is believed to be responsible for the deaths of at least twelve women in the New Orleans area between 1991 and 1996. The victims were predominantly African-American, and many, like Charlene Price, had connections to prostitution or drug use. The slayings instilled a deep sense of dread within the community, as the killer's methods were consistently brutal, often involving strangulation and the disposal of bodies in desolate areas.
The investigation into the 'Storyville Slayer' murders was a complex and frustrating endeavor for law enforcement. Over the years, several individuals were looked at as persons of interest. Two main suspects emerged in connection with the string of killings: Victor Gant and Russell Ellwood. While Ellwood was eventually convicted for one of the murders attributed to the slayer, he was not charged in connection with Charlene Price's death. The broader investigation led authorities to believe that more than one perpetrator may have been involved in the reign of terror that gripped New Orleans.
Despite the efforts of investigators and the passage of time, the murder of Charlene Price officially remains unsolved. Her case is a somber reminder of the other victims of the 'Storyville Slayer' whose lives were tragically cut short. The identity of her killer or killers, and the full extent of the 'Storyville Slayer's' crimes, remain one of New Orleans' most haunting and unresolved mysteries.
