Teen booked with killing 4 in two New Orleans shootings was accused of murder previously

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Police have arrested a man accused of killing four people, including three in a shooting at a New Orleans apartment complex, Chief Shaun Ferguson announced Mon., April 4.

According to officials, Tyrone Steele, 18, shot and killed Amya Cornin, 21, Nehemiah Jones, 24, and Darrin Williams, 27 just after 3 a.m. on March 21 in a two-story complex in the 4100 block of Encampment Street.

Steele is also accused of killing Shane Brown, 20, who was found shot dead in a canal on March 26 near the intersection of Morrison and Gannon Roads in the Little Woods area of New Orleans East.

Steele was booked on four counts of first-degree murder, one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, and one count of aggravated burglary, for an incident in the 3800 block of St. Bernard Avenue on Feb. 26.

No bond has been set yet.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for Tues., April 5.

Ferguson says Steele and his associates could be linked to additional violent crimes.

“We are identifying true, true, violent offenders and targeting them intentionally and purposefully,” Ferguson said in a joint press conference with District Attorney Jason Williams on Monday. “The investigation into Steele and his associates into other violent acts is ongoing and we’re active with this type of coordination you see before you. We’re confident we will be able to connect these individuals to additional violent crimes in the very near future.”

Court records show Steele previously was accused of another murder and an attempted murder in separate cases dating back to 2020.

Steele was arrested for attempted second-degree murder in May of 2020. The district attorney’s office dropped those charges on April 7, 2021, transferring the case to juvenile court. Williams’ office legally could not comment further.

Court records also show Steele was booked with second-degree murder on June 17, 2021. Williams’ office refused that prosecution six months later on Dec. 9.

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