Teen pleads not guilty to murder in New Orleans shooting death of Howdy Bagel co-founder

A 16-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting the co-founder of a Tacoma bagel shop in New Orleans earlier this year was arraigned Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to murder.

An Orleans Parish grand jury indicted Malik D. Cornelius on May 9 for second-degree murder in the Jan. 5 killing of Jacob Carter, according to the parish’s District Attorney’s Office. The teen’s case was moved to adult court following a March 25 transfer hearing, when a judge set his bail at $600,000.

Carter, 32, was approached by a gunman near the intersection of Bourbon and Kerlerec streets in the Marigny neighborhood at about 1:30 a.m., according to police reports. The shooter and a second person fled. Carter died at the scene, and he was taken to University Medical Center. Police have not offered a motive.

Cornelius was arrested about a week after the shooting on unrelated charges in Jefferson Parish, outside the city proper. Days earlier detectives pulled a stolen Kia out of Bayou St. John believed to be connected to the homicide, according to local media reports. No other arrests have been made.

The teen remains in custody at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center in New Orleans. A discovery hearing was set for Aug. 1. His court-appointed attorney, Michael Kennedy, told The News Tribune he wanted to remind people that the criminal charges are merely an accusation. He also said he is steadfastly against juveniles being tried in adult court.

“Considering this is a child we are discussing, I would not want anyone to presume anything to be true until facts have actually come out,” Kennedy said. “He should not be convicted in media or anywhere else when his attorney has yet to even receive a discovery packet.”

Carter was visiting New Orleans for New Year’s Day with his husband and business partner, Daniel Blagovich. Carter was born and raised in Texas, and he started Howdy Bagel with Blagovich, from West Seattle, after they were both laid off during the pandemic.

The queer-owned and operated business had success with a subscription and delivery service that led to long waits for bagels at pop-ups at local farmer’s markets and breweries. Their store on South Tacoma Way opened last summer.

The storefront was closed for about a month after Carter’s death, and it continues to operate on limited hours.

Many other local restaurants, bakeries, tattoo artists, flower shops and other businesses rallied around supporting Howdy Bagel after news of the homicide reached Tacoma, with several donating sales directly to a GoFundMe organized to support Carter’s husband. It raised more than $300,000.

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