Jury selection begins Monday in trial of men accused of killing federal witness in staged wrecks case

WWLTV, By Athina Morris, August 10, 2026

Prosecutors allege former attorney Sean Alfortish paid Leon Parker to kill Garrison, who was cooperating with federal investigators.

Jury selection begins Monday in the federal trial of two men accused of killing a key witness in a sprawling investigation into staged 18-wheeler crashes in the New Orleans area.

Prosecutors allege that former attorney Sean Alfortish paid Leon Parker to kill Cornelius Garrison, who was cooperating with federal investigators. Garrison was shot and killed outside his mother’s home in the Gentilly neighborhood in 2020.

The killing came as federal authorities were investigating a network that allegedly staged traffic accidents to defraud insurance companies. Prosecutors say participants faked injuries, submitted false insurance claims and pursued lucrative settlements through fraudulent lawsuits filed by complicit attorneys and law firms.

Authorities allege Alfortish played a central role in the scheme, organizing people to participate in staged crashes and coordinating with attorneys to maximize insurance payouts.

Dozens of people have been charged in the broader investigation.

Among them is attorney Vanessa Motta, who was Alfortish’s fiancée when Garrison was killed. Motta and attorney Jason Giles of the King Law Firm were convicted March 20 of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, multiple counts of mail fraud and obstruction of justice. Motta and her law firm also were found guilty of witness tampering.

Motta has since appealed her conviction and is seeking a new trial.

A third defendant, Diaminike Stalbert, was convicted of making false statements but acquitted of a conspiracy charge. Stalbert was accused of participating in one of the staged crashes and helping recruit others.

The Garrison killing case is part of a broader federal crackdown on staged accident schemes that authorities say have plagued the region’s insurance market and contributed to higher premiums for drivers. Dozens of people have been charged or convicted in related investigations in recent years.

Alfortish, a disbarred former attorney, also previously faced legal trouble in an unrelated fraud case.

The staged-crash scheme first drew public attention six years ago through “Highway Robbery,” an investigative series by former WWL Louisiana reporter Mike Perlstein.

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