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New Orleans Police Department- Public Information Office

NOPD Arrests Gunman Who Commits Murder; Fled Scene on Bicycle

(May 28, 2012)-  New Orleans Police’s Fifth District detectives arrested a man for shooting another man multiple times in broad daylight earlier this month, and then fleeing the scene on a bicycle with his gun in hand.

Officers picked up 19-year-old Michael Matthews at around 4:15 yesterday morning for the murder of 29-year-old Kevin Stewart.  Matthews shot Stewart shortly after 1:30 in the afternoon of May 1^st as Stewart was standing outside in the 3600-block of North Villere Street.  Stewart was brought to a nearby hospital where he died a couple of hours later.   

Soon after the shooting, members of the community came forward to assist detectives with information.  They provided descriptions of the suspect, and said that as he rode off on a bicycle, one of his hands was on the handlebars, the other held the gun. 

Through more information as well as eventual photo line-ups reviewed by witnesses, the suspect was identified as Michael Matthews.  This led detectives to secure a warrant for Matthew’s arrest, as well as a search warrant for his home on Congress Street.  Members of the NOPD’s Special Operations Division, SWAT team and Homicide detectives executed the search warrant early yesterday morning, and found a loaded pistol under Matthew’s bed, an assortment of ammunition, as well as clothes and a bicycle matching witnesses’ descriptions.      

Matthews was brought to NOPD Headquarters where he was booked with Second Degree Murder.

Michael Matthews is listed as a possible career criminal with 6 felony arrests and 2 misdemeanor arrests.  He was arrested in August 2009 for Possession of Schedule 3 Narcotics and Possession of Marijuana.  The rest of his arrests occurred while he was a juvenile.

“This was great work done by our detectives, who stayed focused on this case and developed a trusting relationship with witnesses to gather the evidence necessary to haul in this gunman”, said Superintendent Ronal Serpas.

 “And it’s becoming clearer to the people of New Orleans that this police department is fighting for them to make this city safer.  I want to thank the residents who came to police and were eager to help us make this arrest.  Their assistance proved invaluable”, said Serpas. 

A photo of Michael Matthews is attached to this release. 

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Contact:  Remi Braden

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