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Family of slain New Orleans Lyft driver raising money to send body home to Honduras

Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — After a New Orleans rideshare was fatally shot earlier this month, supposedly by his passenger, the victim’s family is raising money to send his body back to his family in Honduras.

In the early morning hours of March 8, the New Orleans Police Department responded to an apartment complex on Morrison Road in New Orleans East, just north of the St. Charles canal. It was there detectives found the body of 32-year-old Marvin Enrique Bardales Valle, who was working as a Lyft driver at the time.

We’re told Valle’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the NOPD, detectives were able to identify 19-year-old Taurus Tilly of Slidell as the shooter. Family members say Tilly was a passenger of Valle’s.

Less than a week after Valle’s death, police arrested Tilly in connection to the homicide case. The investigation was a joint effort by the NOPD and Louisiana State Police.

Tilly was transported back to Orleans Parish where he was booked on a single charge of second-degree murder. According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tilly’s bond has been set at $500,000.

Meanwhile, as detectives continue to piece together what led up to the shooting, loved ones continue to grieve. A GoFundMe has been set up to raise money to deliver Valle’s body back to his mother in Honduras.

“He was the only son of his mother, while he was alive he was a good son, a good father, a good friend, a good husband, and above all, very respectful,” the GoFundMe explains. 

Police continue to investigate the homicide and moments that led up to Valle’s death. Anyone with additional information on this incident is urged to contact NOPD Homicide Unit detectives at 504-658-5300.

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