Projectnola.com

June 21, 2012

New Orleans Police Department – Public Information Office

Police Launch Murder Investigation in Yesterday’s Unclassified Death in New Orleans East

New Orleans Police are investigating last night’s unclassified death as a murder. The victim has been identified as 33-year-old Tanyana Elliot, who was reported missing a day earlier.   The incident occurred in the Wind Run Apartments complex, located in the 12100 block of North I-10 Service Road.

Officers responded to a call of a female unresponsive inside a vehicle and located Elliot inside a white Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to her body.  Elliot was pronounced dead on the scene. 

On Tuesday, June 19^th, Elliot was reported missing to the police by her boyfriend after not being seen since Monday, June 18^th, in the 14000 block of Beekman Road in New Orleans East.           

Early this morning, Detectives conducted a taped interview with the victim’s boyfriend.  Detectives cannot name anyone as a person of interest at this stage in the investigation.           

Investigators are currently in the process of gathering evidence and information to identify the person(s) responsible in the incident, as well as a motive.

Homicide Detective Elizabeth Garcia is in charge of the investigation and can be reached at 658-5300.  

Citizens with information that can help solve this crime are asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at 822-1111 or toll-free 1-877-903-STOP.  You could receive a cash reward of up to $2,500 for the information leading to the arrest and indictment of the responsible person(s).  You do not have to give your name nor testify to receive the reward. Citizens can also submit an anonymous tip online to Crimestoppers at www.crimestoppersgno.org  

Any person who, after the commission of a felony, shall harbor, conceal, or aid the offender, knowing or having reasonable ground to believe that he has committed the felony, and with the intent that he may avoid or escape from arrest, trial, conviction, or punishment shall be charged with R.S. 14:25; Relative to Accessories After the Fact.

An accessory after the fact may be tried and punished, notwithstanding the fact that the principal felon may not have been arrested, tried, convicted, or amenable to justice.

Whoever becomes an accessory after the fact shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than five years, or both; provided that in no case shall his punishment be greater than one-half of the maximum provided by law for a principal offender. 

The New Orleans Police Department, under the leadership of Superintendent Ronal W. Serpas, is engaged in a complete transformation in its approach to ensuring that New Orleans is a safer place to live, work and visit. The police force, which currently employs dedicated men and women, is committed to transparency, accountability, collaboration and integrity. To learn more about the NOPD and our services, visit http://www.nola.gov/GOVERNMENT/NOPD and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=36519&id=133853236665761&saved#!/pages/New-Orleans-LA/New-Orleans-Police-Department-Official/133853236665761  

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Officer Hilal Williams