https://www.facebook.com/jariel.sam
https://www.facebook.com/corrie.wallace.52
https://www.nola.com/news/crime_poli...a3f5877c9.html
A 25-year-old mother who frantically jumped from the trunk of a moving car after she was violently abducted from her LaPlace home early Sunday ran for her life but couldn't escape her attacker, who authorities say caught up to her and shot her in the forehead.
Ja'Riel Sam's body was discovered about 3:30 a.m. near the 400 block of Belle Terre Boulevard in LaPlace by St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office deputies who were responding to a report of a car crash, said Sheriff Mike Tregre.
Investigators later learned the vehicle -- Sam's own car -- had been abandoned by her suspected killer when he, too, jumped out to prevent her escape.
Corrie Wallace, 37, of LaPlace, surrendered to authorities Monday morning after the Sheriff's Office announced that he was wanted in connection with the case, according to Tregre. Wallace will be booked with first-degree murder, Tregre said.
Sam's 4-year-old son was inside her Linda Lane apartment when she was taken, according to the sheriff. Deputies found the traumatized little boy in his mother's bed when they went to the residence after her body had been identified.
"He heard his mama screaming," Tregre said.
Tregre described Sam and Wallace as acquaintances.
Wallace went to Sam's apartment some time early Sunday morning. They didn't find any evidence of forced entry, so detectives don't believe he broke into the residence, according to authorities.
"Something went very wrong inside of her apartment," Tregre said.
At some point, Wallace put Sam inside the trunk of her own car and drove off, leaving her 4-year-old son unharmed but alone in the residence, authorities said.
Wallace was driving on Belle Terre Boulevard when Sam managed to open the trunk and jump from the moving vehicle. She suffered road rash on her knees, legs and elbows, according to to Tregre, who said, "She tried to run for her life."
But Wallace also jumped out of the still-moving car and caught up to Sam, authorities said.
"We believe he shot and killed her right there on Belle Terre Boulevard," Tregre said.
Wallace then abandoned the car, which had crashed into a metal guard rail in front of a car dealership. That was the hit-and-run reported to the Sheriff's Office.
When investigators went to Sam's apartment, they realized someone had poured large amounts of bleach all over the residence in an attempted to destroy evidence, Tregre said.
Detectives identified Wallace as a suspect using crime cameras and other surveillance footage from neighboring businesses. They also recovered the suspected murder weapon from a canal nearby, Tregre said.
Sam's son is with relatives, according to authorities.
Anyone with information about Sam's death is asked to call the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office TIPS line at 985-359-8477 or the criminal investigations division at 504-359-8769.
Corrie Wallace