Month: January 2024

Walter Sippio pleads guilty in post-Hurricane Ida gas station killing

A Jefferson Parish judge on Monday (Jan. 29) sentenced Walter Sippio to 25 years, accepting a negotiated plea agreement in which the defendant admitted he shot a man at a Metairie gas station in the days following Hurricane Ida, when electricity outages were widespread and people sought fuel for generators and their vehicles.

Sippio, 22, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to manslaughter as jury selection was underway in his trial. He had been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Dwayne Nosacka, 36, of Metairie.

“The defendant’s plea to manslaughter and 25 years ensures the family closure today, as well as prevents the witnesses to this event from having to testify again.” – Assistant District Attorney Rachel Africk

Nosacka was among the numerous people lined up to get gas at the business in the 2300 block of Clearview Parkway on Sept. 3, 3021, when Sippio pulled up and cut into the line. His action led to an argument that culminated with Sippio shooting Nosacka in the parking lot beside the gas pumps.

Sippio fled but later surrendered and subsequently asserted self-defense. He stood trial last year, but a jury deliberated for about six hours but deadlocked on whether Sippio was guilty of second-degree murder. Judge Donald “Chick” Foret of the 24th Judicial District Court then declared a mistrial.

While jury selection was underway on Monday, discussions regarding a plea began.  “In making the decision to allow the defendant to plea to manslaughter and 25 years, the District Attorney’s Office took into consideration the facts of this individual case, the defendant’s age and lack of criminal history,” Assistant District Attorney Rachel Africk told Judge Foret.

“As the court is aware, this case was tried previously, resulting in a hung jury,” Africk told the judge. “The defendant’s plea to manslaughter and 25 years ensures the family closure today, as well as prevents the witnesses to this event from having to testify again.”

The victim’s mother was present in court and gave a victim impact statement.

Judge Foret accepted the plea and sentenced Sippio to 25 years.

Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Africk and LaShanda Webb prosecuted the case.

Alonzo Ford sentenced to consecutive life sentences for killing two Marrero men

A Jefferson Parish judge on Thursday (Jan. 11) sentenced Alonzo Ford to back-to-back life sentences in prison for his convictions of murdering two men in Marrero in 2019.

Ford, 48, of Marrero, shot Martin Hatten in the head in the early morning hours of March 30, 2019, as the 50-year-old victim sat in a sports utility vehicle in the 6200 block of 2nd Avenue. Hatten, 50, died days later in a hospital.

About 36 hours after he shot Hatten, on April 1, 2019, Ford shot Laurence Hensley, 55, as the two men had a discussion in a bay at a car wash business at Acre Road and Buccola Avenue.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives quickly identified Ford as the person who shot Hatten. They were tracking his whereabouts and were on the verge of arresting him when he shot Hensley.

The detectives arrested Ford shortly after he shot Hensley, as he fled them on foot while tossing the .38-caliber revolver and a jacket he wore. Detectives later learned that Hensley witnessed Ford shooting Hattan.

A Jefferson Parish jury on Nov. 30 found Ford guilty as charged of two second-degree murder counts.

Jurors also found Ford guilty of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of obstruction of justice.

Ford was prohibited from possessing guns because of his criminal history that includes convictions of attempted second-degree murder and narcotics offenses. He finished serving parole in 2018, the year before he killed Hatten and Hensley.

The obstruction counts stem from his discarding the murder weapon and his clothing to hinder the investigation.

During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, family members of both slain men provided victim-impact testimony, telling the court of how Ford’s actions have affected their lives.

“May this letter serve as a testament to the profound grief that your actions have caused our family and your family who was not present during your trial,” Hatten’s niece wrote to the court in letter read aloud by a prosecutor. “My only wish is that you come to understand the magnitude of the pain you have inflicted upon our family.”

“Vengeance is God’s,” Hatten’s older sister testified. “But on the human side, I watched you during the trial. You didn’t seem to have any remorse.”

Said Hensley’s older sister: “He was my best friend. He was a father, uncle. He had grandkids. … I was the one who had to bury him.”

In response to the testimony, Ford expressed his sorrow for the families’ losses but denied killing the men.

After denying defense motions to overturn the verdicts, Judge June Berry Darensburg of the 24th Judicial District Court sentenced Ford to 20 years for each of the two counts of his being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and 40 years for each of the two counts of obstruction of justice. She ran those sentences concurrently.

Judge Darensburg then sentenced Ford to mandatory life sentences for the two murders. She ran those sentences consecutively to each other and to the other counts.

Assistant District Attorneys Kristen Landrieu and Leo Aaron prosecuted the case.