In the late hours of a New Orleans evening, Eddie Matthews, a 64-year-old man, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at the corner of South Liberty Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It was around 10:00 p.m. on January 6, 2024, when his life was tragically cut short by an act of gun violence. The scene, captured on surveillance footage, marked the start of a complex investigation for the New Orleans Police Department.
Formerly a mechanic, Mr.
Matthews had fallen on hard times after the passing of his wife, eventually becoming homeless. Despite his circumstances, he was not known as a troublemaker, and his death was considered a senseless act of violence. Affectionately known as 'Keebler,' he was remembered as a source of love and positivity to those who knew him. He had received his education in the Orleans Parish Public School System and had worked various jobs over the years, including as an interior and mechanical service technician, assembler, and landscaper.
The investigation into Eddie Matthews's death took a significant turn when detectives discovered a link to another homicide that occurred just four hours earlier. A woman named Cayla Kelley had also been found shot to death less than a mile away. Ballistics analysis confirmed that the same firearm was used in both killings. This crucial piece of evidence led investigators to suspect they were searching for a single individual responsible for both deaths.
The focus of the investigation soon centered on a suspect identified as Earl Simmons. Detectives uncovered that Simmons's brother lived near the location where Eddie Matthews was killed. After gathering enough evidence, an arrest warrant was issued for Earl Simmons, charging him with two counts of homicide. The swift work of the detectives brought a dangerous individual to justice, though the motive for the seemingly random and tragic killing of Eddie Matthews remains unclear.
