“If there’s no punishment, this will keep happening,” wife of man shot to death while driving in New Orleans East blames the city

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Melissa Stiller and her husband Andrew Stiller met at Daiquiris Gone Wild off Highway 41 in Pearl River about a year and a half ago.

That’s where they bonded over their love of music and performing. On February 22, 2022, they solidified their commitment to each other by getting married.

“He had a heart of gold, he was soft-spoken, he never raised his voice, every day he would tell me thank you for giving me a family,” said Melissa.

Two days before their first wedding anniversary on Lundi Gras night the unthinkable occurred.

Andrew was driving for Uber when he and his passenger were shot on North I-10 Service Road at Bundy Road in New Orleans East.

“You can’t even drive through there without being afraid for your life,” said Melissa.

Investigators say the shooting led Andrew to run off the road, through the fence and onto the interstate where he crashed into another car with three people inside.

Andrew and his passenger Johnell Hampton died from gunshot wounds.

“My heart hurts and it’s broken,” said Melissa. “And it’s not just for my husband and our family, but everyone who was involved in this. The car that he crashed into, the other lady that was shot in the head that’s fighting for her life, the person that was critically injured, the person that is deceased.”

Melissa says police have confirmed her husband was not the intended target. She says the city needs to step up.

“Where is the justice? Where is the punishment? Because if there’s no punishment this will keep happening. Lives taken too short, taken away from people they love losing their lives because these people keep getting let out back on the street,” said Melissa.

To this day, Melissa still wears her wedding ring. It’s a symbol of her love for her husband.

“I’ll never take it off, he may not be here with me but that’s my husband,” Melissa explained.

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