Family of Alphonse Hogan demands NOPD allow Cajun Navy to help find remains

New Orleans, LA – On the night of November 11, loved ones of Alphonse “Big June” Hogan held a small vigil in front of their home on Lapeyrouse Street. Hogan’s fiancée, Yolonda Miller, hosted the vigil along with her family. Neighbors attended, bringing candles in his memory.

Hogan has been missing since August 3. Two people have been arrested in connection to his killing, but the location of his remains is unknown, hidden by the suspects after they took his body away in a white van.

Hogan’s loved ones are demanding the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) cooperate with the Cajun Navy to help locate his remains. The Cajun Navy is a civilian grassroots group equipped with their own boats, airboats, and trucks. They are skilled in performing search-and-rescue operations, often during or after natural disasters like hurricanes.

A member of the Cajun Navy has already reached out to Miller looking to help and frequently checks with her for updates. However, the NOPD has left the family in the dark. Miller says they are stalling possible opportunities to find Hogan and bury him properly.

“[NOPD] has not said the exact location or the coordinates of where the van was burned and found. They lied to me and told me that they would connect with Josh from the United Cajun Navy. They’ve got him blocked, he can’t get any calls or anything in. That sounds like complete corruption to me at best. Why is it no one wants to find Big June’s body?” said Miller.

“It’s always NOPD with procedure. Y’all need to be trained again?” said Shanta Scott, addressing police via a livestream on Yolonda Miller’s Facebook page. Scott is the mother of Jace Lee Scott, who was killed in 2019 by Andrew Gant—the son of NOPD Sergeant Victor Gant Jr.

Gant Jr. was involved in his own son’s investigation, creating a conflict of interest against investigative protocol. Scott continued, “How many lives y’all going to continually mess over in the city by not doing your jobs properly? Why y’all not in communication with her? She lost her fiancee!”

The family is determined to attend the Criminal Justice Committee meeting on November 30 at 10 a.m. to speak about the case in front of City Council. The New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression will join them and share a flier on Instagram for those who would like to support.

“Word needs to get out. NOPD needs to be stopped for their corruption. I’m not going to stop. I’m not going to give up,” said Miller.

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