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Officials identify 75-year-old tourist beaten to death at new orleans hotel.

NEW ORLEANS - A 75-year-old man from Missouri visiting New Orleans with his family was beaten to death in a hotel late Thursday night.

WWL-TV reports New Orleans police were called out to the Avenue Plaza Hotel on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans just before 11 p.m. Officers arrived to find the unresponsive tourist in a hotel room with apparent head trauma.

The man, later identified by the coroner as David Sorenson, was taken to a hospital but did not survive the attack, the news outlet reported. Police believe he was physically beaten to death with fists rather than a weapon.

Officers then located the suspect, 29-year-old Martin Furtado, in the room's bathroom. Furtado was not staying in that room or in the hotel. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He was booked on a $350,000 bond, according to WWL-TV.

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Sorenson was from Missouri, and he was visiting New Orleans with his family.

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75-Year-Old Missouri Tourist Beaten to Death in New Orleans Hotel Room

A 75-year-old tourist from Missouri was beaten to death in his New Orleans hotel room late Thursday night.

New Orleans Police said they were called to the Club Wyndham Avenue Plaza hotel on St. Charles Avenue shortly before 11 p.m. and found the man unresponsive with head trauma, WWL reported .

They also found 29-year-old Martin Hurtado, identified as the suspect, in the room’s bathroom and took him into custody. Furtado was not staying at the hotel, police said. He has been charged with second degree murder.

The victim was transported to a hospital, where he died about an hour later. Investigators believe he was beaten to death with fists and not a weapon.

WVUE reported that police were called when someone pulled a fire alarm and tried to get into a room. When officers arrived, they were told that someone had gotten into a room occupied by a guest.

Detectives said the victim was visiting New Orleans with his family, WWL said, but they didn’t say where the family was at the time of the beating or whether the family members were staying in separate rooms.

No other information was released.

Hurtado is being held on a $350,000 bail, according to jail records .

For the latest true crime and justice news,  subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast .

[Featured image: Club Wyndham Avenue Plaza/ Google Maps ]

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New Orleans shocked after horrific killing of tourist in hotel during holiday tourism season

The new orleans police department says the beating death was a "random act of violence".

Horrific hotel killing of a tourist in New Orleans shocks city during holiday tourism season

The brutal beating death of a tourist in New Orleans earlier this month is sending chills through the city during its holiday tourism season.

The brutal beating death of a tourist in New Orleans is sending chills through the city during its holiday tourism season. 

It's also adding to the city's reputation as one of the most dangerous places in America . 

The New Orleans Police Department says the death of 73-year-old David Sorenson, visiting from Missouri, was a random act of violence. 

On December 1, Sorenson and his wife were asleep in their room at the Avenue Plaza Hotel on St. Charles when they heard a knock on their door. Police say a man entered and beat Sorenson to death while his wife took cover in the bathroom. 

STARBUCKS MAKES GOOD ON PROMISE TO CLOSE MORE STORES AS CRIME RAGES IN NEW ORLEANS

29-year-old Martin Hurtado, who worked at a nearby restaurant, was arrested for the crime. 

This horrific incident, along with New Orleans on track to be the murder capital of America this year, is leading some business owners in the city's tourist district to fear visitors just might stop coming. 

Monique Hamilton, co-owner of Unique Nola Tours, says her tour guides need more work. 

"I employ 15 tour guides," Hamilton said. "We offer 7 different tours but in the last couple weeks, we're lucky if we do two or three tours in one day. It's slow. It really is." 

A tourist takes a photo of street performers in New Orleans' French Quarter. (Fox News / Fox News)

Hamilton says the city's winter busy season really picks up in January, but she wonders how crime is having an impact. 

As of December 11, 2022, there have been 264 homicides in New Orleans. This is the most homicides per residents in the United States, passing St. Louis, Chicago and New York City. It's also a 134% increase from just three years ago. In 2019, New Orleans had 113 homicides, according to the Metropolitan Crime Commission . 

"Even though the vast majority of the crime is between people who know each other, that would scare some people off," Hamilton said. "People that have never been here, I think this will deter them." 

Since starting her tour company in 2016, Hamilton says crime concerns have always been part of the conversation. She believes this slower season has more to do with inflation and people not having the money to travel, but she can't rule out crime. 

"We get asked about crime, especially for corporate events, but I don't think it's overly affecting tourism," Hamilton said. 

A jazz band performs for tourists in the French Quarter.  (Fox News / Fox News)

CONCERNS ESCALATE OVER SAN FRANCISCO'S RISING CRIME HURTING BUSINESS

Hamilton's business has had its fair share of incidents over the last year, but she's thankful none of her guests or guides have been injured. 

In May, her security cameras captured an attempted shooting outside the door to her shop. The video shows a man firing a gun, but it jams. Bystanders drop to the floor as the men involved run in different directions. 

Hamilton also had two tour guides attacked in the last six months. 

"One was a resident who lived in the French Quarter," Hamilton said. "He came up and pushed one of my tour guides down. The other one was a homeless person who came up to one of the tour guides and pulled out a knife." 

Hamilton says in both incidents, the tour guides were able to quickly get their groups to safety. 

"The guides are prepared for this," Hamilton said. "They know this stuff is unavoidable in the French Quarter. You have to expect something is going to happen because it happens everywhere, doesn't matter the city." 

NEW ORLEANS POLICE SUPERINTENDENT RETIRES AMID CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA'S MURDER CAPITAL

Tourists visiting New Orleans last week were surprised to learn of the crime trends in the city while speaking with Fox News, but told us they were keeping safety in mind. 

Most of the tourists who spoke with Fox News were surprised to learn of the city's rampant crime trends.  (Fox News / Fox News)

"We're not loose with flashing money around, and we're not staying out late at night," said Sophia and James Smith, visiting from the Houston area. 

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"We always look out and watch," said John and Janet Allison from Louisville. "He puts his wallet in his front pocket and I keep my bag over my shoulder and zipped." 

This year of rampant crime also comes at a time when the NOPD is at record-low numbers. For the last year, those in the hospitality industry have funded additional patrols of the French Quarter. 

Blues community mourns loss of tourist brutally beaten to death in New Orleans hotel room

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A tourist brutally killed while visiting New Orleans will be laid to rest Saturday (Dec. 10) in his Missouri hometown.

David Sorenson, 73, lost his life in what authorities are calling a random act of violence as he and his wife were staying in the Avenue Plaza hotel.

“He was just a wonderful man,” Mike Edsel, Vice President of the Washmo Blue Society of Missouri, remembered him. “I can’t say enough about him. A beautiful soul.”

Sorenson, a financial advisor, was a huge lover of music, a musician with an encyclopedia of blues knowledge.

Members of the Washmo Blues Society in Missouri are still trying to wrap their heads around what happened to their friend.

“In shock,” Edsel continued. “The more we hear about it and the story behind this who walked in, apparently off the street, walked through the lobby and got on the elevator.”

More: Tourist killed in St. Charles Avenue hotel was victim of random violence, NOPD says

Police say surveillance video from the hotel shows the suspect, 29-year-old Martin Hurtado, get off the elevator, shortly before a fire alarm was pulled and people started exiting their rooms.

Court documents show Sorenson’s wife told police they were asleep and woken up by the fire alarm and a knock at their hotel room door.

She reportedly told detectives she opened the door and Hurtado pushed her inside the room, saying “I’m not here. Don’t tell anyone I’m here.”

She says she ran towards the bathroom, fearing for her life, and said she could see Hurtado punching her husband in the face before she bolted out of the room to find help.

“The officers went into the room. They had a male in the bedroom section of the hotel room. He was down and looked like he had trauma to his face,” New Orleans Police Captain Ryan Lubrano said.

The parish coroner says Sorenson died of blunt force injuries.

“It is just horrible what happened to Dave,” Edsel says. “To be taken that way, it’s awful. He was a good man. Anytime he was asked to come up, he would participate and be a part of anything and everything. He had the smiles.”

Sorenson spearheaded fundraising efforts for the Killer Blues Headstone Project, which provides headstones for blues musicians in unmarked graves.

Edsel says they have planned a special funeral service for Sorenson on Saturday, where harmonicist Amanda Fisch and others will play some of his favorite music to remember the life and legacy he leaves behind.

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Arrest in killing of New Orleans waiter, wounding of tourist

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A suspect was arrested Monday in connection with a shooting outside a popular New Orleans restaurant that left a waiter dead and a visitor from Chicago wounded, police said.

The suspect was arrested without incident in Houston by U.S. marshals with aid from the New Orleans Police Department. He was identified as Kyron Keith Fazande, 22. He was to be extradited to face charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and aggravated battery.

The shooting happened outside Mandina’s Restaurant on April 28, as thousands were in town for the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. A waiter, Hilbert Walker III, 23, was killed.

A Chicago woman sitting inside the restaurant was wounded by the gunfire.

Online records were not yet available on the arrest, and it was unclear if Fazande had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

This story corrects the suspect’s name.

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16-year-old arrested in connection to bagel shop owner slaying.

Neighbors say a car found in Bayou St. John is connected to the murder of Washington tourist

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New details in the murder investigation of a tourist shot and killed in New Orleans while in town for the start of Carnival Season.

New Orleans Police say a 16-year-old was arrested in connection to the murder. He was arrested in Jefferson Parish on unrelated charges. The investigation is ongoing and detectives say they're following other leads.

Neighbors tell WDSU they believe a blue car pulled out of Bayou St. John Tuesday is connected to the murder of 32-year-old Jacob Carter. He was shot and killed last Friday morning at the intersection of Bourbon and Kerlerec.

People believe the blue car belonged to the suspect who shot and killed Carter.

Workers told WDSU they called the cops after noticing the car floating in the bayou.

Brian Franklin lives in the Bayou St. John area and said, "Unfortunately it's the time we live in. I know from years ago this is not really uncommon."

Carter was in town with his husband on vacation from Tacoma, Washington, when he was murdered. At this time we do not know the circumstances surrounding the situation.

A resident in the area said surveillance turned over to NOPD clearly showed the shooter hop inside a blue car after committing the crime. Another neighbor said he heard gunfire then loud screams that night.

"I did see someone administering CPR to another person for several minutes. When the police arrived they removed this person he let out a horrible horrible scream that I've never heard in a human."

Tourists in town right now said the crime has reminded them to stay vigilant.

Darius from Boston said, "It's a crazy thing to hear that it was someone in town just as we are. Here having a good time. And now they are no longer here."

WDSU reached out to Howdy Bagel, the shop Carter co-owned with his husband in Washington State. They are temporarily closed.

Over $200,000 has been donated since Carter's death.

Neighbors in the area of Bourbon and Kerlerec said Monday the street lights were not working at the time of the crime.

Since then we reached out to the city and the city was able to fix one light. On Wednesday they were working to determine if other lights in the area also belonged to the city or to Entergy in solving the issue.

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Truck Driver Charged Over Role in Deadly ‘Super Fog’ Pileup in Louisiana

Seven people were killed. The driver, Ronald Britt, is charged with negligent homicide in a crash that killed one of them.

By Livia Albeck-Ripka

A truck driver faces charges including negligent homicide related to his role in a highway crash during a dense “super fog” in Louisiana in October that caused a huge traffic pileup and left seven people dead and dozens injured, the authorities said this week.

The man, Ronald Britt of Lafayette, was driving an 80,000-pound vehicle at around 60 m.p.h. on Oct. 23 when, having not slowed down despite the severe weather, he crashed into the car ahead of him on Interstate 55 northwest of New Orleans, the Louisiana State Police said on Tuesday in a news release . The impact killed a 60-year-old man, James Fleming of Missouri, and severely injured his wife, Barbara Fleming, 69, the police said.

“It was determined that Britt was operating at a negligent speed, given the driving conditions at the time,” the police said, which led to the death of the man and the injuries sustained by his wife.

Poor weather conditions and limited visibility meant vehicles could not safely exit the highway, the police said, causing congestion and “multiple crashes.” Mr. Fleming had managed to stop his vehicle safely, they said, but was “unable to move his vehicle to a safer location off the road.”

Louisiana state law requires that drivers maintain a safe speed appropriate for the prevailing driving conditions.

Mr. Britt, 61, surrendered to the authorities on Monday and was also charged with negligent injuring, reckless operation and other traffic offenses, the police said. It was not immediately clear whether he had legal representation.

In Louisiana, negligent homicide carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.

The crash was one of several that day, the authorities said, as an impenetrable mist shrouded the area. Seven people died and 63 were injured in the large traffic pileup, which involved at least 168 vehicles, the police said. They originally reported that eight people had died but later revised that figure , citing “intense fires” that “complicated the identification of victims.”

Livia Albeck-Ripka is a reporter for The Times based in California. She was previously a reporter in the Australia bureau. More about Livia Albeck-Ripka

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Why death tourism is thriving.

New Orleans. Photo: Ambroise Tezenas

A visitor's sadistic impulses may influence her decision to travel to a dark place, and traveling in groups makes her feel more secure in the face of terror or death.

Xuankou, Sichuan, China. Photo: Ambroise Tezenas

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How to Make the Most of Your Time at the New Orleans Museum of Death

D eath is an ever-present aspect of New Orleans culture. Second lines, the jubilant parties where folks dance down the street while a brass band jams, are synonymous with the city. These celebrations stem from an African-American funeral ritual in honor of a deceased member of the community. At the same time, cemetery tours are among the most popular attractions in NOLA. Before COVID-19, an estimated 200,000 people visited the St. Louis #1 Cemetery in the French Quarter each year. It houses the tomb of Marie Laveau, the “Voodoo Queen of New Orleans,” making it a pilgrimage to those interested in the supernatural. Ghost tours are another ubiquitous tourist activity, focusing on everything from haunted hotels to vampire lore. So it only makes sense that the city is home to the macabre Museum of Death.

“It’s definitely a big draw for especially the true crime, serial killer crowd but we offer so much more than that,” explained Zach Frazier, Manager of the New Orleans location of the Museum of Death (there’s another one in Hollywood). “It’s not just in that vein, we cover everything related to death.”

There’s taxidermy, serial killer paraphernalia, and photos of beheadings. But there’s also a section explaining the logistics of embalming a corpse, and one that highlights the sensationalization of murder by the press.

The Museum of Death is morbid so true crime fans and lovers of the occult will undoubtedly connect with the content. But if you’re just a curious traveler that enjoys museums and learning, you can certainly appreciate the experience. Here’s all of the intel you need to make the most of your visit to the New Orleans Museum of Death.

Where is the Museum of Death?

When is the best time to visit the museum of death in new orleans, what you need to know before visiting the museum of death, the best museum of death exhibits, do you have to be a certain age to go to the museum of death, how much are tickets for the museum of death in new orleans, how long does it take to visit the museum of death.

• Where to start your visit of the New Orleans Museum of Death

Photo: Janna A. Zinzi

The Museum of Death is located at 227 Dauphine Street between Bienville and Iberville streets in the French Quarter. It’s on a block with quintessential New Orleans businesses like a po’boy sandwich shop and a costume shop. It’s a short walk from the Canal Street streetcar (#47 and #48), or most hotels in the Quarter, and even the Central Business District (CBD).

There are numerous bus lines that also stop on nearby Canal Street (#32, #60, #90). But ride sharing or the Canal Street streetcar are the best options to get to the museum, especially on the weekends because street parking can be sparse and parking in a lot can be expensive.

The New Orleans Museum of Death is open every day, Monday through Sunday from 11 AM until 6 PM. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and of course Mardi Gras Day (which changes every year so check the calendar!).

“Halloween is one of our biggest seasons, definitely one of the biggest weekends of the year,” offers Frazier. “Weekends especially during Mardi Gras season are packed.”

But all throughout the year, lines can be down the block on Saturdays and Sundays which means a wait to get in and then more crowds inside. Frazier suggests going early on a weekday, especially Monday through Wednesday during slower tourism months (May through November), to have space to walk around the exhibits and time to watch the videos and look closely at the artifacts.

“During the week, there won’t be a line, you’ll get right in without it being crowded in there. You can see everything you want and take your time and don’t have to worry about it being congested and the flow,” noted Frazier. “Also if you have any questions, you get more one-on-one time with us. That’s also important for a lot of folks because if it’s busy we’re not going to be able to have a conversation to talk about any of this stuff.”

The New Orleans Museum of Death displays potentially disturbing content, including grisly photos of autopsies, and crime scenes, for example. If you’re squeamish, pass your way.

“I let people know that it can be graphic on the inside. That is something that is important especially if they want to bring younger kids,” shared Frazier. “We don’t say no, we just want people to know before they come in.”

Also photography is prohibited inside the Museum of Death, so keep your phone in your pocket or bag.

Frazier highly recommends spending some time at the Kevorkian Machine exhibit. Also known as “the Death Machine”, “the Suicide Machine” or “The Thanatron” (a Greek word for “Instrument of Death”), the Kevorkian machine is an apparatus created by Jack Kevorkian whose medical license was revoked after he assisted 130 patients to commit suicide. Kevorkian, nicknamed “Dr. Death” spent eight years in prison for second-degree murder. He was released in 2007 and passed away in 2011 at the age of 83. The Kevorkian Machine is a simple “automated drip hooked up to an intravenous needle,” WIRED explains. The New Orleans Museum of Death has the original Kevorkian Machine and the box it came in. Jack Kevorkian’s “60 Minutes” interview plays besides the display of the machine.

The funeral section is less sensational than some other exhibits, but it’s one we suggest you take the time to check out. The exhibit offers antique items like the Victorian mourning rings, embalming instruments, and mouth shapers that were used to beautify corpses. Lining the wall in that same section are embalming face casts of famous people such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Abraham Lincoln, and Robin Williams. This area also offers a break from some of the graphic content.

Also, make sure you peak into the Theater of Death to have a look at the gorgeous Day of The Dead altar. Setting up an altar in honor of your departed loved ones is a Mexican tradition that takes place yearly on November 1 and 2. Día de los Muertos is a time to acknowledge mortality, remember ancestors, and celebrate their memories. The altar at the museum is a colorful and ornate example that is worth taking the time to observe — it brings joy and levity to an intense space.

The Museum of Death does not impose any age restrictions. Access is open to anyone, no matter their age. However, the Museum of Death include extremely graphic images and themes that are not suited for a young or sensitive audience. Children are not allowed to access the museum or roam around the exhibits without parental supervision.

Admission for one adult costs $17 plus tax. You pay at the check-in counter located in the lobby and gift shop. The staff gives you a quick orientation of the museum and then you can start your self-guided tour. No timed entry and no buying tickets online. It’s first come, first served so get there early!

While it’s a small space, there’s a lot of details to take in. Most visitors spend about an hour at the Museum of Death, but you can easily spend more time watching documentaries on the various screens throughout the museum. There’s also the Theater of Death, a mini movie theater in the back of the museum with rows of benches for visitors to watch true-crime videos. There’s a gift shop with some shirts, aprons, and other keepsakes so account for any shopping time in your trip planning.

Where to start your visit to the New Orleans Museum of Death

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