Found Deceased LA - Mark Bakotic, 21, New Orleans, 30 Dec 2016

I don't think it was a homicide. He was on some mind altering drug and that led to his death by drowning. IMO
If that were the case, wouldn't LE have closed the case following MB's autopsy? Accidental death or something along those lines? His parents seem pretty convinced that he was murdered.

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If that were the case, wouldn't LE have closed the case following MB's autopsy? Accidental death or something along those lines? His parents seem pretty convinced that he was murdered.

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Do you know if it is still an open case? Is in homicide? I honestly don't know.

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I would presume the case is still ‘open’...I know I read a while back (in a NOLA/TimesPicayune article) that the 2 females who had his ATM card and were caught using them, were questioned by LE, and supposedly, they indicated they had gotten the cards by purchasing them or having been given them by someone else...after that, I didn’t hear nor read anything further about this case..but, that’s just me and of course I could have misses a lot just as easily as anyone else...I suggest checking NOLAdotCom’s site to see what comes up, because any actual news updates should be posted thru them..they tend to keep up with and disseminate whatever info & arrests the New Orleans Sheriff’s Office are announcing or just releasing regularly..

All of the above is just my own humble opinion, views, thoughts, theories or Big Fish Tales; unless otherwise indicated by a website URL or reference to a source

The TRUTH WILL OUT!, and There will be a Reckoning, in this Life or the Next!
 
Do you know if it is still an open case? Is in homicide? I honestly don't know.

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My understanding is that it is still open, BUT, since there hasn't been a MSM article covering it and the posts by his parents in the group haven't said outright "COD homicide" (just things that heavily imply it), I can't say that for sure.

I do know for sure that the CrimeStoppers reward was increased to $10,000 via his father on the Remembering page:

The reward used to be $7,500 for locating Mark 2; however, now it is $10,000 for the information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Mark’s death.

It is still listed as an Open Case through the CrimeStoppersGNO website, too.

His parents have also requested that people come forward and call the Detective on his case if they have information (following MB's cremation) a few times, which I don't think they'd do if it was actually closed. MB Sr has always struck me as a grounded, logical guy, so I feel like if it were closed and no foul play was suspected, he'd have made that clear.
 
My understanding is that it is still open, BUT, since there hasn't been a MSM article covering it and the posts by his parents in the group haven't said outright "COD homicide" (just things that heavily imply it), I can't say that for sure.

I do know for sure that the CrimeStoppers reward was increased to $10,000 via his father on the Remembering page:



It is still listed as an Open Case through the CrimeStoppersGNO website, too.

His parents have also requested that people come forward and call the Detective on his case if they have information (following MB's cremation) a few times, which I don't think they'd do if it was actually closed. MB Sr has always struck me as a grounded, logical guy, so I feel like if it were closed and no foul play was suspected, he'd have made that clear.
Yeah the dad always seemed more realistic than in that fantasy denial, which is a great way to be. I wish the police would say one way or another.

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Yeah the dad always seemed more realistic than in that fantasy denial, which is a great way to be. I wish the police would say one way or another.

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I feel like with how NOLA.com's reporting is, if they could say for certain one way or the other, they would have. The less I hear, the more I think that the COD is probably unknown (possibly due to time in the water/decomposition), and that there must be some other circumstances that lead his parents to believe it was murder.
 
Just a bump & a visit to check in & check up on this case...


The TRUTH WILL OUT!, and There will be a Reckoning, in this Life or the Next!
 
Still no answers for Mark's parents about what exactly happened to their son.

Anybody know if The NOLA Tabloid is legitimate reporting or just garbage? :waitasec:

ETA: my hunch based purely on the name and what I saw from Facebook is that it may in fact be garbage.
 
It's legitimate. Not sure why the name made you think otherwise.

You might note that the news stories credit NOLA-dot-com and The Times Picayune.
 
It's legitimate. Not sure why the name made you think otherwise.

You might note that the news stories credit NOLA-dot-com and The Times Picayune.

Thank you! I guess "Tabloid" in my mind equates to gossip mag levels of reporting, and I couldn't find a legitimate website, just a Facebook page with a lot of complaints about the reporting on it, so I wasn't too sure if it was a real source or not.

With that being clarified, here's this: "New Orleans Taxicab Driver Tied to Missing Man's Bank Cards Leaves the Country For Egypt" https://www.facebook.com/thenolatabloid/posts/701754546695419

The last person known to interact with Bakotic that night was a taxicab driver, Ayman Ibrahim Gebreil, 48 years-old. [...] Allegedly, Gebreil then used Bakotic's Visa debit and credit cards at a gas station and then gave the bank cards to his girlfriend, Brittany Pinera, 31 years-old. Gebreil and Pinera have a child together. Pinera and her friend, Karima Peters, 34 years-old, then allegedly also used Bakotic's cards at a Walmart store and a Magnolia Discount Supermarket.

According to online court records, the trio are anticipating to enter the district attorney's diversion program in lieu of a trial. However, on January 30, 2018, Pinera, who goes by the online moniker "Dollface," posted to her Facebook profile that Gebreil left the country and traveled to Egypt for the next month.

An update by The NOLA Tabloid in the comments states that all 3 were granted entrance into the diversion program/charges dropped.
 
I think Mark's death is a homicide.

Prior to visting NOLA in the summer, I was hopeful he was still alive. I thought it was possible he got into drug trouble and was ducking out to protect himself and his family. Or mental breakdown.

While visiting NOLA, I kept my eye out for Mark as it was thought he could have had a mental breakdown and was homeless in the area.

After visiting NOLA, I got this feeling he was deceased. NOLA is an amazing city rich with culture. I had a blast when I was there but it's a dirty city and very shady characters around every block. I also kept seeing the same homeless people throughout my time there but in different areas of the city. The city doesn't give off a safe vibe at all. I walked down Bourbon Street (famous party strip) and pictured it on NYE, crowed with drunk young adults, and Mark on drugs... it's a very good time and place for a crime of opportunity, IMHO.

It could have been an overdose or accident but the river is in the opposite direction and nothing is that way. It does make sense to go back that way as the French Quarter is closed by that time. You stay on Bourbon between and Orleans and Canal, that's where everything is at. At the end of the night, you go to canal st., that's the main artery where you can catch Uber, cabs, or friends to pick you up. Cars aren't allowed down Bourbon street, its all for pedestrians. So through out the night you end up walking a lot... up and down Bourbon or side street here and there to specific bar but then you're back on Bourbon. It makes no logical sense to go south to the river. Even on drugs that walk wouldn't be appealing plus nothing is that way at that time of night... unless you're trying to dump a body.

JMO.
 
I don't necessarily think Mark was murdered, I think he went to the riverwalk to try to calm himself down because he was freaking out on drugs. He could have entered the river voluntarily and got snagged on something, drowning. He could have fallen in while walking on the big rocks and got snagged. He could have gotten pushed/kicked in by someone and gotten snagged (Which absolutely counts as manslaughter at the least). Or he could have gotten murdered and then thrown in. I think if he did not die in an accident then the crime was not premeditated.

The Riverwalk used to have the pirate steps. They've closed off the riverwalk for some time now and they demolished the pirate steps, which is what I think his remains were snagged on. They remove pirate steps, body pops up. That's my theory of why he was in the same place for seven months.

Last but not least, I'm also not surprised the taxi driver left the US. As an immigrant you can now legally be held indefinitely without any bond hearing for any crime. This country is becoming increasingly hostile towards immigrants and I would be scared. I don't think he's innocent, he's absolutely guilty of some low-level identity theft and to take someone's credit card when they leave your taxi is a real ******* thing to do. But I just don't see a taxi driver murdering someone.
 
I think Mark's death is a homicide.

Prior to visting NOLA in the summer, I was hopeful he was still alive. I thought it was possible he got into drug trouble and was ducking out to protect himself and his family. Or mental breakdown.

While visiting NOLA, I kept my eye out for Mark as it was thought he could have had a mental breakdown and was homeless in the area.

After visiting NOLA, I got this feeling he was deceased. NOLA is an amazing city rich with culture. I had a blast when I was there but it's a dirty city and very shady characters around every block. I also kept seeing the same homeless people throughout my time there but in different areas of the city. The city doesn't give off a safe vibe at all. I walked down Bourbon Street (famous party strip) and pictured it on NYE, crowed with drunk young adults, and Mark on drugs... it's a very good time and place for a crime of opportunity, IMHO.

It could have been an overdose or accident but the river is in the opposite direction and nothing is that way. It does make sense to go back that way as the French Quarter is closed by that time. You stay on Bourbon between and Orleans and Canal, that's where everything is at. At the end of the night, you go to canal st., that's the main artery where you can catch Uber, cabs, or friends to pick you up. Cars aren't allowed down Bourbon street, its all for pedestrians. So through out the night you end up walking a lot... up and down Bourbon or side street here and there to specific bar but then you're back on Bourbon. It makes no logical sense to go south to the river. Even on drugs that walk wouldn't be appealing plus nothing is that way at that time of night... unless you're trying to dump a body.

JMO.
While all that is true, he wasn't on Bourbon St. He was over by The Howling Wolf. It's the warehouse/ arts district, not really the French quarter. He took a taxi to near Harrahs, which is where the ferry stop is. There is pretty easy access to the river right there, more than most anywhere else along the riverfront.

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While all that is true, he wasn't on Bourbon St. He was over by The Howling Wolf. It's the warehouse/ arts district, not really the French quarter. He took a taxi to near Harrahs, which is where the ferry stop is. There is pretty easy access to the river right there, more than most anywhere else along the riverfront.

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Ah yes. I meant to include that I don’t know where he picked up was picked up by cab and where he was dropped off at. But I assumed he was on Bourbon since that’s the Party strip.

I’ll have to look up those places on the map. Was he trying to get to the ferry? Was it running at that time of night?


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Ah yes. I meant to include that I don’t know where he picked up was picked up by cab and where he was dropped off at. But I assumed he was on Bourbon since that’s the Party strip.

I’ll have to look up those places on the map. Was he trying to get to the ferry? Was it running at that time of night?


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It's doubtful he was trying to cross with the ferry. He wpuld have no reason to go to the westbank. I know i dont!!!!! (New Olreans joke). I think I remember reading he told his friends he was going to go swimming. He took the cab down the street and got out by the river. Well, those 2 things (once known) was when I figured it might end this way.

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It's doubtful he was trying to cross with the ferry. He wpuld have no reason to go to the westbank. I know i dont!!!!! (New Olreans joke). I think I remember reading he told his friends he was going to go swimming. He took the cab down the street and got out by the river. Well, those 2 things (once known) was when I figured it might end this way.

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I don't recall the going swimming thing. :thinking:

What has stuck out in my mind ever since he was found was that when he got out of the cab, he supposedly was headed toward the river when he exited. I think that was mentioned in The Vanished Podcast about him and apparently there is video from the cab to back that up. I'll have to relisten.
 
I don't recall the going swimming thing. :thinking:

What has stuck out in my mind ever since he was found was that when he got out of the cab, he supposedly was headed toward the river when he exited. I think that was mentioned in The Vanished Podcast about him and apparently there is video from the cab to back that up. I'll have to relisten.
Exactly. He got out the cab by harrahs and went to the river.... which is literally across the street. If you look at a map, the Aquarium of the Americas is right there on the river. Next to it is the ferry. Across the street is harrahs.

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I will have to refind the swimming comment when I get to the computer tomorrow. I could have been dreaming, but I feel about 95% confident I read it in an article or his dad's postings.

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Exactly. He got out the cab by harrahs and went to the river.... which is literally across the street. If you look at a map, the Aquarium of the Americas is right there on the river. Next to it is the ferry. Across the street is harrahs.

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Oh man. I've been to all or most of the Audubon places in NOLA: the aquarium, IMAX, zoo, insectarium (my husband ate a Cajun mealworm there blech). For some reason my mind skimmed over the fact that Harrah's is right by the aquarium. He'd have been to the river within a minute running. I stood by the aquarium to watch the boats and then walked up the street to Arby's (which I think is gone now, but that was the fanciest Arby's I've ever seen in my life). I think I took this picture right in that area:

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