Raymond Lee sentenced to life in prison for murdering Alonzo ‘Zo’ Wiley on the West Bank

A Jefferson Parish judge on Thursday (March 7) sentenced Raymond Lee of New Orleans to a mandatory life sentence in prison for his conviction of killing an entrepreneurial barbershop owner in a West Bank motel room.

Lee, 38, shot Alonzo “Zo” Wiley five times during an armed robbery on Dec. 5, 2021. At that time, in the wake of Hurricane Ida, Lee and Wiley were residents at the motel in the 2200 block of the Westbank Expressway.

Wiley, 35, who owned The Grooming Gallery barber shop in the Gretna area and had one previously on Tulane Avenue in New Orleans, dressed well and was known to carry cash. He aspired to expand his Grooming Gallery business.

Lee tricked Wiley into letting him into the motel room. Once inside, however, Lee attempted to rob Wiley. Wiley resisted and attempted to get away but was shot three times. Lee then placed a pillow over Wiley’s head and shot him twice more in the face before fleeing with the victim’s belongings.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives built a circumstantial case in tying Lee to the crime through cell phone technology, physical evidence and statements.

A Jefferson Parish jury on Feb. 2 found Lee guilty as charged of second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Click here to read more about the crime.

During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Michael Mentz of the 24th Judicial District Court denied defense requests for a new trial and heard victim impact testimony from family and friends of Wiley, including a letter written by a cousin that a prosecutor read aloud for the court.

“Our family hasn’t been the same since he’s been gone, as he was the one to light up every party and every conversation,” the cousin wrote. “To everyone on the outside looking in, he was a barber and a businessman or even just another name on the docket. But to us he was a protective cousin, a fun uncle, a supportive brother and a loving son.”

“There (were) a lot of people that depended on Alonzo,” the cousin wrote. “We need him. He made us happy. He made us laugh. He made us better. He did not deserve to be a victim of such a senseless, heinous crime. … Our lives are forever changed from the good times that we had with Alonzo, but we are also still feeling the emptiness from his murder.”

In addition to the life sentence, to be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, Judge Mentz sentenced Lee to 40 years for the obstruction charge and 20 for the firearm charge. Judge Mentz ordered the sentenced to be served concurrently.

Assistant District Attorneys Leo Aaron and Tommy Block prosecuted the case.