John Edward Studda Harris III, an 18-year-old African American man, was fatally wounded just after 1 p.m. on Sunday, December 27, 2020, near the 600 block of Ames Boulevard in Marrero. He was taken to a local hospital in a private vehicle and later died; his death was classified as a homicide.

Investigators say Harris’s death was tied to a large staged-accident fraud operation that targeted trucking companies and their insurers. The scheme reportedly used drivers called slammers to cause collisions and then recruited passengers to pose as the drivers and file fraudulent claims. Ryan J. Red Harris, described as a slammer and an organizer who directed passengers to cooperating attorneys, has been identified as a central figure in the conspiracy.

Does anyone have information about Harris’s movements in Marrero on December 27, 2020, or about the staged-accident ring operating in the area?