NEW ORLEANS — The reward in the killing of a French Quarter restaurant owner who was shot to death behind his apartment just days after opening the Wing Taxi has been raised to $10,000.
Crimestoppers announced the increase in the reward in the killing of Richard Washington Tuesday night.
The $10,000 is payable half upon an arrest and half upon an indictment of the alleged perpetrator and you can remain anonymous. Crimestoppers’ number is 504-822-1111.
Washington was killed on Sunday, October 10, just two days after he had opened the Wing Taxi on Toulouse Street the Friday before.
Washington opened his first Wing Taxi in Shreveport about 20 years ago.
Patrick Stewart, a longtime friend, says he was excited to break into the New Orleans food scene.
“He wanted to be in New Orleans. New Orleans is the Mecca for if you can cook, if you've got some food and you want to put it up against the best in the nation, New Orleans is the place to be,” Stewart said.
Stewart says Washington used his businesses to help others.
“One of the things he really loved about it, he was able to help other people by giving them jobs and employment and get them out of their situations,” Stewart said. “So he loved what he did.”
"He would give opportunities to young men who may not have been given an opportunity," Washington’s daughter Alexis Dixon said.
Dixon says that was her dad's nature.
She says that there still are no clues as to why he was shot -- and she says she's equally sad and angry.
"I want his name out. Richard Washington was murdered. Richard Washington was killed. I don't want the word died,” she said.
All in the hopes that his memory will live on -- and that answers will follow.