Jury returns partial verdict in murder tied to New Orleans staged-wreck scheme
FOX 8, By FOX 8 Staff, September 3, 2026
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A federal jury returned with a partial verdict in the trial of two men accused of conspiring to murder a witness who was cooperating with the FBI’s investigation into staged 18-wheeler crashes in New Orleans.
Jurors began deliberating Friday, Aug. 28, after hearing nearly three weeks of testimony in the case against disbarred attorney Sean Alfortish and Leon “Chunky” Parker.
Federal prosecutors accused Alfortish of orchestrating the September 2020 murder of Cornelius Garrison and Parker of carrying out the killing.
Garrison had participated in a years-long scheme in which so-called “slammers” intentionally crashed vehicles into 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles, allowing fraudulent insurance claims and lawsuits to be filed.
Federal investigators say Garrison also recruited other people to participate in staged crashes. He began cooperating with the FBI in 2019 as agents investigated the growing scheme.
Garrison was shot and killed outside his mother’s Gentilly home on Sept. 22, 2020.
Prosecutors say Alfortish learned Garrison was cooperating with investigators and arranged to have him killed. Parker was accused of serving as the gunman.
Key witness admits role in murder plot
One of the prosecution’s key witnesses was Ryan Harris, who pleaded guilty in January 2025 to charges connected to the staged crashes and admitted aiding and abetting Garrison’s murder.
Harris testified that Alfortish and Vanessa Motta wanted Garrison killed after learning he was cooperating with the FBI.
Harris said he suggested Parker could carry out the killing and later helped plan the murder with Parker.
Harris testified that he picked Parker up after Garrison was killed and that Parker admitted carrying out the shooting.
Defense attorneys spent hours challenging Harris’ credibility, arguing he implicated Alfortish and Parker to reduce his own potential punishment.
Parker’s attorneys have argued Harris was actually the gunman. During the trial, they showed jurors video they said depicted Harris inside a vehicle with what appeared to be an assault-style weapon.
Verdict reached on fraud and obstruction counts
The jury found Alfortish and Parker guilty on count 1, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Alfortish was found guilty on counts 6 (obstruction of justice) and 7 (witness tampering).
Alfortish was found not guilty on counts 16 (obstruction of justice) and 17 (subornation of perjury).
The jury did not reach a finding on count 4, wire fraud, against Alfortish.
Mistrial declared on murder-related charges
The jury reached no finding on count 11, conspiracy to commit witness tampering through murder, against Alfortish and Parker.
The jury reached no finding on count 12, witness tampering through murder, against Alfortish and Parker.
The jury reached no finding on count 13, conspiracy to retaliate against a witness through murder, against Alfortish and Parker.
The jury reached no finding on count 14, retaliation against a witness through murder, against Alfortish and Parker.
The jury reached no finding on count 15, causing death through the use of a firearm, against Alfortish and Parker.
Judge Vitter declared a mistrial on the murder conspiracy-related charges.
Link.