Donald Cedric Faul was stabbed to death near the New Orleans riverside Moon Walk around 6am on January 25, 1981, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Donald had stab wounds to the chest and back, according to then-Coroner Frank Minyard. He had defense wounds on the front of his body. Stabbed multiple times, he died at the scene.
According to the friend who was with him, the male attacker wore a kind of cowboy hat and a jacket with large pockets closed by flaps. He was of slender build, between 35-40 years old, approx. 5’ 10” with fair skin and brown hair. As you can see from the suspect sketches below, there is another person of interest.
I have not found any information that the pocket knife used to stab Donald was found. There is nothing in the papers about the direction of the stabbing (left or right-handed attacker) and exactly which wound killed Donald.
The exact cause of death could be exsanguination but I do not have a confirmation. Donald’s friend fled when the attack started and got help. She flagged down a passing police cruiser.
The city of New Orleans was filled with excitement. It was Super Bowl weekend so many fans and tourists were in town. A crowded city with many parties going on. It was the perfect place for someone to be on the lookout for an easy mark. The only reason I mention this is that the attack might have been completely random meaning that there is no relationship between Donald, his friend, and the attacker. In fact, the attacker may not even have been a local.
Donald was attending a house-warming party when he and his friend decided to go for a walk. According to the papers, the “attacker was there when they reached the riverside walk.” He approached Donald from the back when they embraced. That sounds like someone who has done this before. Watch the couple, stay out of the man’s eyesight, and attack him from behind.
In the newspaper The Times-Picayune/The States-Item of January 27, 1981, these suspect sketches were made public. It is on page 15.
In some papers from 1981, a reward was offered for any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of this attacker. I do not know if this still holds true.
Contact Information
If you have any information please contact CrimeStoppers online or call their hotline at (504) 822-1111. At the time of writing, there were seven pages with open cases on their website. Unfortunately, Donald Cedric Faul was not featured.
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In the series “Case of the Month” I highlight old unsolved cases. These posts are not an in-depth analysis and of course, more information can be found online and in newspaper archives.
We need to get these cases back in the mainstream media, to get people talking again, and if anything, to make sure that we do not forget the victims. Just because their cases are unsolved does not mean that we can forget about them.
With the advances in modern forensic sciences, we have a chance to find clues that previously remained hidden. So, let us review all these old cases once more.
I encourage you to share this post on your own social media platforms. By sharing these posts online, the cases reach new networks, new connections, and the latest news feeds. One day these updates may pop up in the right person’s news feed. That may be someone who can help advance the case and that is my goal.
Rest in peace, Donald Cedric Faul.