A Baton Rouge real estate agent has been taken in custody after being accused of beating a 60-year-old man on the edge of New Orleans’ Lower Garden District earlier this month.
Garrett Ward, 25, was booked on one count of second-degree murder following the beating death of New Orleans man, Arnold Jackson. Ward was said to be highly intoxicated when he engaged in an argument with Jackson around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 6.
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Witnesses said they saw Ward punching and stomping Jackson several times while he lay on the ground, police documents filed in court allege.
Ward surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Police responding to a 1:30 a.m. call of a beating on Jan. 6 found Ward on the upper level of the elevated parking lot next to Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro in the 2000 block of St. Charles Avenue after witnesses accused him of punching and kicking Jackson several times. A couple of the kicks were delivered after Jackson was on the ground, police documents filed in court allege. According to police, Ward was “highly intoxicated,” and he was initially jailed on suspicion of battery while paramedics took Jackson to a local hospital for treatment. No other circumstances about the morning of the deadly beating have been made available. Authorities released Ward from custody following a court appearance on $10,000 bond. Jackson then died Jan. 18 from the blunt force injuries he suffered during the beating, and homicide investigators secured a warrant to arrest Ward on a count of second-degree murder, authorities said.
In Louisiana, second-degree murder convictions carry mandatory life imprisonment. source
Social media suggests Ward worked as a commercial real estate broker at the time of Jackson’s attack.
TheCount.com has learned, as of Tuesday evening, a link to Ward’s bio has been removed on a website operated by real estate firm, NAI Latter & Blum.
Ward is expected to face the judge in his initial court appearance later Wednesday.
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