Baton Rouge, LA — A TikTok influencer with millions of followers is facing second-degree murder charges in the death of a former Catholic priest and prominent local therapist, officials announced. The accused, 20-year-old Terryon Ishmael Thomas, known to his online followers as “Mr. Prada,” was apprehended in Dallas after fleeing Louisiana, where the crime took place.
The incident has gripped the local community, as Dr. William Nicholas “Nick” Abraham, a 69-year-old therapist known across Baton Rouge for his work in mental health, was found deceased under grim circumstances. His body, exhibiting severe trauma, was discovered wrapped in a tarp and discarded in a ditch along a quiet highway. The case began to unravel last Sunday when a passerby noticed the suspiciously placed tarp.
Surveillance footage from nearby stores last captured Thomas driving Abraham’s vehicle, which led to an immediate investigation. Attempts to halt the stolen vehicle ensued shortly after, with Thomas allegedly evading capture by ramming a police unit in a Baton Rouge suburb.
Besides facing a murder charge, Thomas is also accused of aggravated criminal damage to property, resisting an officer, and the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Prior to these allegations, Thomas had garnered a considerable following online, boasting over 8.2 million followers and amassing more than 550 million likes across his TikTok platforms.
Dr. Abraham, whose death was concluded to be the result of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and shoulders, was previously embroiled in controversy. In 2015, he faced allegations of molesting a young boy during a counseling session, accusations that were not formally charged after long deliberation by legal authorities due to insufficient evidence for a conviction. His attorney at the time expressed shock and devastation over the tragic end of a man he described as possessing a tender and gentle nature.
The discovery of Abraham’s body followed a report of him visiting Thomas’ apartment on the day prior to the suspected murder. The subsequent police search of the apartment revealed significant blood traces and various potential weapons, painting a grim scene of the events that might have unfolded.
Witness accounts noted seeing Thomas straining as he moved a large object wrapped in a tarp — later identified as containing Abraham’s body — which he then placed in the therapist’s own vehicle. Such details have added a layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation which seeks to unravel the motive and full circumstances behind Abraham’s tragic death.
Legal proceedings are due to continue, with Thomas expected to be extradited back to East Baton Rouge for trial. The relationship between Thomas and Abraham, if any, has not been clarified by officials, who are cautious in their assertions about the linkage given that Thomas was reportedly not a client of Abraham’s.
The local community remains in shock as more details unfold, highlighting a disturbing convergence of social media influence and real-life crime. The case also reopens discussions about safety and accountability when the lines between public personas and private lives become tragically blurred.