Man’s Corpse Wrapped Inside Tarp Found in Louisiana Ditch on Sunday, Identified as Baton Rouge Doctor

UPDATE: The deceased man has been identified as 69-year-old Dr. William Nicholas Abraham of Baton Rouge. He was a well-known mental health therapist.

Detectives say Abraham died in a "violent attack" with blunt force trauma to his head, neck and shoulders.

“It was a very physical and very violent attack,” said Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker. “He was bludgeoned about in the head shoulders and neck. There was a lot of bruising what have you.”

The doctor's stolen vehicle was recovered off Sherwood Forest Boulevard in Baton Rouge Monday afternoon. A person in the vehicle crashed, got out and fled on foot. That person was not apprehended.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Tangipahoa Parish Criminal Investigations Office at 985-902-2008. To remain anonymous, tipsters call Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or visit www.tangicrimestoppers.com.

A man's corpse wrapped inside a tarp was found on Sunday, September 29, 2024, dumped alongside a Louisiana ditch.

According to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, the investigators were called out just before 8:00 am on Sunday on the side of Highway 51 between Fluker and Tangipahoa.

A passerby reported a suspicious object.

Once on scene, responding deputies located the man's body, rolled up inside a tarp.

READ MORE: Improperly Restrained Louisiana Child Dies in Crash

Around 4:00 pm, the Sheriff's Office said the victim had been identified and was not from Tangipahoa Parish.

His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Detectives are actively working the case and more information will be released as deemed necessary.