BRPD says ‘misinformation’ hurting Allie Rice murder probe, reward now at $37,500

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul says misinformation about the murder of Allison “Allie” Rice is hurting the case and hurting her family.

Rice was shot and killed last week while waiting in her vehicle for a train to pass on Government Street near the edge of downtown Baton Rouge. The killing happened just after two in the morning as the 21-year-old was driving home after a night out with friends.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Sept. 22, about the ongoing efforts to battle violent crime in the city, Paul said there is still a lot of work to do in the Rice case.

“The family is in pain,” Paul said. “They’re hurting and they’re mourning. I’m asking you to be respectful of that. When you put out misinformation, that hurts the family and that questions the integrity of our police officers. That interferes with our investigative efforts to find the person or persons responsible for this crime,” he said.

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Chief Paul and his team specifically addressed a report by another outlet that there was a witness to the killing who claimed he called police but did not get a call back.

“That’s absolutely incorrect,” an exasperated Lt. Kevin Heinz said. “Absolutely incorrect.”

Heinz, who is the commander of the department’s Violent Crimes Unit, said anyone who has claimed to have any information about the Rice murder has been interviewed.

“If you don’t think we are taking this seriously, I’m highly offended by that because these are my people. I’m telling you right now it is a rumor that we are ignoring a witness. That’s a hideous rumor,” said Lt. Heinz.

Heinz also addressed the suggestion that Rice’s killing was somehow part of a gang initiation.

“We have zero indication that’s the case,” he said. “If we had any indication that was the case, we would put it out there for the safety of the public. But as of right now, (based on) everything we see, I can confidently say that is not the case.”

Rice worked for The Shed BBQ on Burbank Drive near LSU. Owners of that business and other private donors have teamed up to offer a reward for information that leads to the arrest of Rice’s killer. As of Thursday afternoon, that reward was at $37,500.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

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