Kermit Pete Hartzog, known affectionately to friends and family as "Shike," was a beloved son, brother, and grandson. At 27, he was part of a close-knit family, the son of Winifred Hartzog and stepson of Ricky Hookfin. He was a loving brother to Marcus, Bobby, and Biquita Hartzog and a cherished grandson to Bonnie Hartzog. Kermit was a familiar and friendly presence within his community, connected to the congregations of Chief Cornerstone Ministries and Jesus Ministries. His life was one of family bonds and daily work, with connections to the staff at East Jefferson General Hospital, Joval Manufacturing Company, and American Cab Company.
The afternoon of Tuesday, April 3, 2012, brought an end to Kermit’s life in a sudden act of violence. At approximately 4:00 p.m., the 27-year-old Black man was fatally shot in eastern New Orleans. The shooting occurred in the 7200 block of Bundy Road, a street that held significance for his family and community. Tragically, the church where his homegoing celebration would later be held, Chief Cornerstone Ministries, was located just blocks away from where he was killed. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office later confirmed Kermit’s identity and that he died from gunshot wounds.
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) responded to the scene and opened a homicide investigation. In the hours and days that followed, however, few public details emerged about the circumstances surrounding the shooting. No information regarding a potential motive or any persons of interest was released to the public. Witnesses did not come forward, or if they did, their accounts did not lead to a breakthrough in the case. The investigation stalled, and with no new leads or evidence to pursue, the case eventually grew cold.
For more than a decade, there has been no justice for Kermit Hartzog. His murder remains unsolved, and no arrests have ever been made. The case is now one of the many cold case homicides on the files of the New Orleans Police Department, a painful statistic in a city that has long struggled with violent crime. For his family, the lack of answers has meant a prolonged and unresolved grief. The public record falls silent after the initial reports, leaving only the lingering questions of who took Kermit's life and why.
The weight of Kermit's unsolved murder has been a heavy burden for his family to bear. The pain was compounded just five years later when his older brother, Marcus "Moe Money" Hartzog, passed away in December 2017. Marcus’s obituary noted that he was preceded in death by his brother, Kermit, a heartbreaking reminder of the family's enduring loss. The Hartzog family has been forced to navigate years of mourning without the closure that justice might provide.
A homegoing celebration for Kermit was held on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at Chief Cornerstone Ministries on Bundy Road, where relatives, friends, and community members gathered to honor his memory. As of today, the investigation into Kermit Hartzog's murder remains open but inactive. Authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or a motive in the years since his death. The case stands as a quiet but painful testament to a life cut short and a family left waiting for answers that have never come.
