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Prosecutors could seek death penalty with upgraded first-degree murder charge against TikTok star
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BATON ROUGE — A TikTok star accused of murdering a Baton Rouge therapist had his charges upgraded to first-degree murder, prosecutors said.
Terryon Thomas, 20, is accused of murdering William Nicholas “Nick” Abraham, 69. District Attorney Hillar Moore said that the charge was upgraded to first-degree murder because of the victim's age. Louisiana law states a first-degree murder charge applies to any victim under 12 or over 65.
Deputies said that Abraham was last seen alive outside of Thomas' Baton Rouge apartment complex around 11 a.m. Sept. 28. The following day, Abraham's body was found beaten, wrapped in a tarp and discarded along a Tangipahoa Parish highway.
Thomas was arrested in Dallas on Oct. 1 and was extradited to Baton Rouge. He was booked Monday into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and initially charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice.
District Attorney Hillar Moore is not yet certain if he will pursue the death penalty, as the investigation is still unfolding. Deputies said Thomas was not Abraham's patient and are still trying to determine a connection between the men.
"What would really have to happen is not only is he arrested for that, it would have to be presented to a grand jury as first-degree murder, a grand jury would have to file a true bill for first-degree murder and following that, the decision is left up to me to decide whether I'm going to file notice I intend to seek the death penalty and that is way far away right now," Moore said.
Thomas appeared in the 19th JDC via video call for the first time Tuesday afternoon in front of Magistrate Jermaine Guillory.
Thomas's father was in the courtroom as Guillory announced Thomas would be held without bail.
WBRZ's Investigative Unit caught up with him after the hearing and asked if his son was guilty.
"No comment. I don't know. I wasn't there. I have no idea," his father said.
According to the DA, and sheriff's office, there is plenty of evidence implicating Thomas, including surveillance video.
As far as a motive, Moore says that has yet to be revealed.
"Obviously the murder was a very brutal murder. I do not know what the motive or the intent was, what type of planning went into it, but that's being developed at this time," Moore said.
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