TikTok influencer ‘Mr Prada’ charged with second-degree murder after therapist found dead
3 October 2024, 19:52
A TikTok influencer with over four million followers has been charged with second-degree murder after the death of a 69-year-old Louisiana therapist.
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Mr Prada, real name Terryon Thomas, who has 4.3 million followers on the video-sharing platform, was arrested in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday afternoon after police saw him driving a car allegedly owned by the therapist.
William Abraham’s body was found covered in tarp in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Sunday.
The therapist suffered a “very physical, very violent death,” police said.
Thomas, 20, was charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said.
He remains in custody.
“This is an ongoing investigation that will take time to gather further evidence,” Casey Hicks of the East Baton Rouge’s Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“I hope that this arrest may bring some closure and assurance to friends and family,” she added.
Police say they uncovered CCTV footage showing Thomas to be the last person driving Abraham’s car.
The 69-year-old’s body had been dumped on the side of a highway.
“I am incredibly proud of the TPSO team, and the public, for working together so quickly to lead to this strong case closure. We are confident EBRSO’s continuous work going forward will find the answers many of us would like to have and we stand ready to assist with that effort at any point," Tangipahoa Sheriff Gerald Sticker said.
Police added video footage showed Abraham arriving at the apartment complex Thomas lives in, wearing the same clothes he was found dead in.
Mr Prada has a massive following of mostly Gen-Z TikTok users. His comedic content revolves around school, relationships and other trends.
Abraham was accused of molesting an 11-year-old boy in 2015.
Jarrett Ambeau, Abraham’s lawyer, told The Washington Post that the charge was dropped years after the initial allegation.
“The client from 2015 is 100 percent not Thomas,” Ambeau said.
“I have never heard of Thomas and I have no idea if they ever had any sort of relationship.”
