Baton Rouge logs more homicides than New Orleans for 2026

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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - East Baton Rouge Parish has recorded a higher murder count than Orleans Parish this year, according to year-to-date crime statistics, the WAFB I-TEAM learned.

New Orleans has notoriously appeared on national top 10 murder lists years ago. The shift in numbers has drawn attention from Baton Rouge leaders.

East Baton Rouge Parish leaders said murders are down compared to this time last year, even though the parish’s total is higher than Orleans Parish’s.

Data from New Orleans’ public dashboard shows 62 murders have taken place in Orleans Parish to date.

From January to present, East Baton Rouge Parish has logged 78 murders. That figure includes cases from Baker, Baton Rouge Police and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to District Attorney Hillar Moore, who is tracking the numbers.

Asked if he had ever seen a time when Orleans Parish had a lower murder rate than Baton Rouge, Moore said, “Not to my knowledge.”

What makes this unique is previously Baton Rouge has had higher murder rates per population density than New Orleans, but their murder count was always higher. This time, their actual murder count is lower than the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish.

Moore said New Orleans has more police officers and more assistant district attorneys and is using more technology than Baton Rouge has had the ability to use so far.

"They’ve been paying a lot of special attention,” Moore said. “They have a lot more police officers, have a lot more assistant district attorneys. It looks like they’re employing a lot more technology in New Orleans than we have ever had the ability to do so, so far.”

Moore said it is unfair to compare Baton Rouge to New Orleans because of the additional resources being directed to New Orleans.

“My understanding is one-third of the criminal docket in Orleans is now being handled by the attorney general’s office with Louisiana state police cases,” Moore said. “We here in Baton Rouge do not have that.”

Rafael Goyeneche, who heads the Metropolitan Crime Commission, has followed the downward trend in New Orleans. He said actions taken by multiple parties, including incorporating new technology into crime-fighting efforts, have led to the drops in that city.

“What needs to happen in Baton Rouge is take a look at what has led to the success in New Orleans,” Goyeneche said. “And see if some of those successes can be incorporated into the approach in Baton Rouge.”

Moore said some measures are doable, while others are not possible without additional money.

“As you know, we’re way behind on employing policemen, sheriff’s deputies, assistant district attorneys, compared to Orleans and other places,” Moore said. “So unless and until you make public safety the number one priority, you’re going to get what you get.”

East Baton Rouge Parish is the most populous parish in the state, but it has fewer prosecutors, judges and officers than the New Orleans Police Department.

Moore is seeking $22 million for his office

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