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The quiet neighborhood of Algiers, nestled across the Mississippi River from New Orleans' French Quarter, was shattered by gunfire on an October evening in 2017. Carol Lombard Ross - a 55-year-old grandmother, community pillar, and beloved "neighborhood mom" - lost her life in a hail of bullets outside her own home.

Carol embodied the spirit of community service that ran deep in her family's veins. Her brother Darren worked his way from deputy clerk to Orleans Parish Criminal Court Clerk. Her cousin Rudy organized groundbreaking civil rights sit-ins. Her sister-in-law Juana served as Louisiana's Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner before being elected New Orleans Magistrate. But Carol's contribution was equally powerful though less official - she was the watchful eye who encouraged children to stay in school, kept the neighborhood clean, and offered friendship to all who needed it.

That makes the violence that claimed her life all the more senseless. A white Ford F-150 truck pulled up on LaBeouf Street, and someone inside unleashed dozens of rounds that struck Carol multiple times. Despite neighbors rushing to her aid, she succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The question that haunts everyone who knew her remains: "Why Carol?"

Louisiana Senator Troy Carter, a family friend, put it perfectly: "It wasn't her being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's the criminal being in the wrong place." Despite bullet holes riddling several cars and a $5,000 reward from Crimestoppers, leads have been scarce, and this case remains unsolved years later.

Carol's story represents countless victims whose cases fade from headlines while their communities continue to grieve. If you have any information about this crime, please contact Crimestoppers at 1-877-903-STOP. You can remain anonymous and possibly bring long-overdue justice to a family and community who've waited far too long for answers.

https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/fatal-shooting-in-algiers-leaves-well-known-lombard-family-in-mourning/289-487576621

https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/woman-fatally-shot-in-algiers-on-monday-was-member-of-well-known-lombard-family/article_80cf2815-af04-5308-9dc1-3467917bdbc9.html

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nola/name/carol-ross-obituary?id=12469010

https://crimesolverscentral.com/homicide/10925