On August 3 at 7:10am NOPD responded to a call and arrived at a crime scene in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. They found the body of a man who was beaten to death with a golf club and left covered in a white bed sheet in a Holy Cross neighborhood home.
In addition to the broken golf club that was left under the victim’s head, a blood covered ceiling and floor, and visible brain matter, police uncovered a cellphone with a voicemail that recorded a fight, leading them to one suspect.
During the investigation, NOPD noticed a male walking down the street unclothed, wearing only a white construction hard hat and injuries consistent with a fight. Adam Belanouane (24) was arrested and immediately charged with second degree murder.
The victim temporarily lived with Adam Belanouane while in town on a construction project for his job. Neighbors shared that Adam expressed suspicions of his girlfriend cheating on him with the victim.
Once in NOPD’s custody, Adam spoke in 3rd person calling himself crazy and explained that he had been through a lot in his life. Adam was scheduled to appear in court the day after his arrest but was never escorted to his appearance due to being on suicide watch.
The Victim
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23-year-old Derian Dominguez was a resident of Virginia at the time of his death. He was born to Dominican parents in Manhattan, NY and grew up in the Bronx.
Derian’s mother (New York) said that on the morning of her son’s murder she woke up with a sick stomach and learned why when a New Orleans coroner called her at 4pm that afternoon.
His mom told NOPD that Derian hated cheaters and would have never interfered in anyone’s relationship. According to her, Derian was not dating at all but instead focusing on finishing his degree. Derian was set to graduate in 2023 after taking a year off while his dad battled cancer.
Derian’s mom described dealing with NOPD as the worst experience with a police department she’s ever had. When calling the lead detective over the case, she was repeatedly ignored. Once reaching the lead detective, she was met with a harsh tone and told that he was busy doing police things.
Who is Adam Belanouane
Born and raised in New Orleans, Adam attended Benjamin Franklin where is starred on the baseball team and graduated Cum Laude. Adam went on to study Finances, achieving a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Orleans and his master’s degree at LSU. Adam was popular among peers. Some would even refer to him as an overachiever. In his free time Adam traveled and networked professionally. Adam worked in Data Science, Accounting, and Financial Consulting.
