Charges dropped against suspect in 2016 cold case slaying of Tulane graduate

NEW ORLEANS– Authorities have dropped charges against a suspect in the 2016 cold case murder of a 25-year-old Tulane University graduate who was visiting New Orleans to plan his wedding.

“Serious problems” with the availability of a critical witness arose and led the Orleans District Attorney’s Office to ask Tuesday to dismiss charges against Ernest Weatherspoon, the prosecutor said, without elaborating, in a news release .

Thomas Rolfes of St. Louis had returned to town over Mother’s Day weekend to meet his fiancée and scout wedding venues. He was found on May 7, 2016, shot to death at an intersection after leaving a bar.

Weatherspoon, 46, was arrested in December 2021 and indicted by a special grand jury on both armed robbery and second-degree murder charges.

District Attorney Jason Williams said his office has been in close contact with Rolfes’ family, who agreed that dismissal was the best course of action at this time.

“Our office is committed to exhausting all avenues to secure justice for Mr. Rolfes and this family, who have suffered a tremendous loss,” Williams said in the news release.

Weatherspoon had been in jail since his arrest.

John Fuller, Weatherspoon’s attorney, told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate that prosecutors earlier this month offered his client a plea deal that would have given him a guaranteed 10-year prison sentence. Weatherspoon refused and was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

Fuller said Weatherspoon was “delighted” at the news that the charges had been dismissed.

“He’s going home for Mother’s Day,” Fuller said, “which was always our goal.”