A young man's charred body is found in the trunk of his vehicle
Eric Arbuthnot Jr. was known for a smile his cousin called contagious; he was the kind of person who seemed to find everything funny. A video of his last birthday celebration captures that joy, showing his face breaking into a huge grin as a cake is placed in front of him. Just five days later, on November 2, 2016, the life of the 26-year-old New Orleans native was violently extinguished, leaving his loved ones with only memories of that smile and a decade of unanswered questions. An alumnus of Martin Luther King High School, Eric was a beloved son, cousin, and friend.
The day he was killed began like any other. Wednesday, November 2, was a pleasant autumn day in New Orleans, with temperatures reaching into the low 80s. Eric, a Black male, spoke with several family members throughout the day. He made plans to visit a cousin and a friend later that evening. The last known person he spoke with was his mother. At around 8:40 p.m., she called to tell him to stop by her house to pick up some food she had cooked for him. But Eric never made it to his mother’s, his cousin’s, or his friend’s home that night.
Shortly before 9:00 p.m., the New Orleans Fire Department responded to a call about a vehicle on fire. They were dispatched to the 10000 block of Old Gentilly Road, a neglected, desolate stretch of road in New Orleans East known more for its junkyards and piles of discarded tires than for residential traffic. As firefighters extinguished the blaze, they made a horrific discovery inside the car: charred human remains. The body was so badly burned that authorities could not immediately determine age or gender.
The next morning, November 3, concern grew when Eric’s girlfriend couldn't reach him and found his phone was turned off. She began calling his family and friends, but no one had seen him. By late morning, the devastating news began to spread. The New Orleans Police Department, having identified the burned vehicle as belonging to Eric, contacted his mother to inform her that her son’s car had been found and a body was discovered inside.
The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office later formally identified the remains as those of Eric Arbuthnot Jr. The official cause of death was listed as "homicidal violence of unknown etiology," a clinical term meaning that while it was clear he was murdered, the exact method of his death could not be determined from the remains. In the wake of this news, family members went to Eric’s apartment, only to find it had been ransacked. It was unclear if anything had been stolen, adding another layer of mystery to the crime.
The investigation into Eric Arbuthnot Jr.'s murder has been long and frustrating for his family. In the years since his death, the New Orleans Police Department has not publicly identified any suspects or a motive in the killing. The case has grown cold, leaving his family trapped in a state of perpetual grief, unable to find closure without justice. The question of who killed the young man so loved for his easy smile, and why they did it, remains unanswered. As of late 2022, his case is still an open and active investigation, a painful reminder of a life cut short and a crime yet to be solved.
