25 year old found shot to death in an abandoned parking lot A native and resident of New Orleans, Kerwin David Borden Sr. was a 25-year-old father of three who was known to friends and family by the nickname “Porsche.” His loved ones described him as someone who would be greatly missed and would remain forever in their hearts. He was a son, a brother, and a companion, survived by his mother, father, grandparents, two brothers, and his three children: Kerwin Jr., Ariel, and Keyvion. His family and friends gathered for his homegoing celebration on September 23, 2013, at a chapel in the historic Tremé neighborhood, and he was laid to rest in Holt Cemetery.
On the afternoon of Monday, September 16, 2013, Kerwin’s life was cut short by gun violence. Around 2:20 p.m., officers from the New Orleans Police Department responded to reports of gunfire in the city's 7th Ward. They arrived to find Kerwin in a vacant, abandoned parking lot in the 1800 block of North Derbigny Street. He was lying on the ground, having been shot multiple times.
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
The 7th Ward, a historic area known for its Creole heritage and musical traditions, has also contended with challenges related to crime. The specific block where Kerwin was found is in a mixed industrial and residential area near the I-10 high-rise. Investigators for the NOPD began processing the scene, but details about what led to the shooting were not immediately clear.
A notable detail in the case was that Kerwin was wearing a home-incarceration ankle monitor at the time of his death, though records did not indicate he was enrolled in a program within Orleans Parish. This added a layer of complexity to the investigation, raising questions about his movements and the circumstances that led him to the desolate parking lot that afternoon. The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office officially identified him as the victim.
The investigation also uncovered a difficult chapter from Kerwin’s recent past. In July 2012, the NOPD had identified him as a suspect in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Christian Medrano, which occurred just a few blocks from where Kerwin’s own life would be taken. A warrant for second-degree murder had been issued for his arrest. However, records show the charges against him in that case were later refused.
In the days after Kerwin's murder, NOPD detectives appealed to the public for assistance. They released an image of a white vehicle that was seen in the area and believed to be connected to the homicide, hoping the image would generate tips from the community. Despite this effort, the investigation struggled to gain traction. No motive for the shooting was ever publicly confirmed by law enforcement.
Years have passed since Kerwin Borden Sr. was killed, and his case has grown cold. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made, leaving his family without answers and a community still searching for justice. His death remains an open and unsolved homicide with the New Orleans Police Department. 
