BATON ROUGE, Louisiana — Prosecutors have announced an elevation of charges against a TikTok influencer accused of the murder of a therapist from Louisiana, as of Tuesday.
Terryon Thomas, a 20-year-old often recognized by his social media handle “Mr. Prada,” was initially charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Dr. Nick Abraham, a 69-year-old resident of Baton Rouge.
The charges have been raised to first-degree murder under specific Louisiana legislation permitting a more severe accusation when the perpetrator has the intent to kill or cause serious harm to a victim aged either 12 or younger or 65 or older.
If convicted on these new charges, Thomas could face the death penalty depending on the prosecution’s approach to the case, officials have confirmed.
Thomas was apprehended in Dallas on October 1 after he allegedly evaded Baton Rouge police while driving Dr. Abraham’s vehicle. Subsequently, he was extradited back to Louisiana where he was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Monday.
Current jail records do not indicate whether Thomas has legal representation available to comment on his behalf.
Details surrounding the connection between Thomas and Abraham remain ambiguous, and authorities have yet to disclose a motive for the murder.
According to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Department, which referred to surveillance footage, Dr. Abraham was last observed alive entering Thomas’ residence at around 11 a.m. on September 28.
Chief Administrative Deputy Casey R. Hicks stated, “We have witnesses at the apartment complex that saw the suspect dragging what we now believe is the victim’s body.”
The body of Dr. Abraham, wrapped in a tarp, was discovered the following day, September 29, beside a highway in the rural Tangipahoa Parish, located east of Baton Rouge and north of New Orleans.
The investigations conducted by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office led to a search of Thomas’ apartment where evidence indicated a violent confrontation had taken place. Authorities reported the discovery of several sharp instruments, additional weapons, and large amounts of blood. The blood was confirmed to match that of Dr. Abraham by the Louisiana State Crime Lab.
Hicks remarked, “We have a DNA match at the suspect’s apartment for the victim; we do believe that’s possibly where the crime occurred.”
While the investigation is still ongoing, the sheriff’s office noted that there is no indication that Thomas was a client of Dr. Abraham’s.
“We have search warrants and warrants to collect further evidence to gain more insights into this case. Although we have probable cause to press charges for murder, there is still much evidence to obtain,” Hicks added.
Thomas boasts over 4 million followers across his multiple TikTok accounts, primarily catering to an audience aged 18 to 24, with content that often highlights observations on trends, academia, and various other topics.
Dr. Abraham, as outlined on his professional website, had amassed three decades of experience in treating substance abuse issues, depression, and anxiety, in addition to spending 11 years serving as a Roman Catholic priest.
“Dr. Abraham was a very kind, very tender, very gentle man,” shared Jarret Ambeau, a Baton Rouge lawyer who had represented Abraham in legal matters and considered him a friend. “No one deserves to die this way, but I would have never expected someone of his character to be violently murdered.”
