In the early morning hours of a Sunday in Gretna, Louisiana, the life of 48-year-old Michael K. Smith of New Orleans came to a violent end. On November 16, 2025, authorities responded to a distressing call from the Creekside Apartment Complex on Virgil Street. There, in the parking lot, they discovered Mr. Smith, a male, lying face up with multiple gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced deceased at the scene, marking the beginning of a homicide investigation.
The Gretna Police Department quickly identified a person of interest, 56-year-old Mark Haynes. An intensified manhunt ensued for Haynes, who was described as 'armed and dangerous.' Authorities revealed that the fatal encounter stemmed from an altercation between Smith and Haynes, who were strangers to one another. Following an argument, Haynes allegedly shot Smith. It was also noted that Haynes was a previously convicted violent felon on parole for armed robbery, having a criminal past that included a conviction for two counts of armed robbery in 1997, for which he was sentenced as a habitual offender to nearly five decades in prison.
Following their investigation, the Gretna Police Department arrested Mark Haynes. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and weapons violations in connection with the death of Michael K. Smith. After the arrest, the police department issued a call for public assistance, urging anyone with further information to come forward to aid in the ongoing investigation. While details of the arrest have been made public, information regarding Haynes' trial, potential conviction, and sentencing have not been made available in online sources. The ethnicity of Michael K. Smith has not been publicly disclosed.
