BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The indictment of Terryon “Mr. “Prada” Thomas was classified as first-degree murder because of the victim’s age, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The enhanced charge could result in the death penalty if convicted if prosecutors ultimately decide to take that route.

He was arrested in connection with the death of 69-year-old Baton Rouge therapist Dr. Nick Abraham arrested.

Thomas was originally charged with second-degree murder. However, Louisiana law allows the more serious charge of first-degree murder if “the perpetrator has the specific intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm on a victim who is under the age of twelve or sixty-five years of age or older.”

Commissioner Jermaine Guillory presided over Terryon Thomas’ first court appearance on Tuesday afternoon, October 8th.

Thomas was not taken to court for the proceedings, but was connected via a camera link from the prison facility.

Guillory denied bail in the case and appointed the public defender’s office to represent Thomas for now. Guillory asked Thomas if he would hire an attorney to represent him. “I don’t know yet,” he said.

Guillory said he determined there was probable cause to arrest Thomas.

He arrived at the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail on Monday afternoon, October 7th. Thomas was extradited from Dallas, Texas, where he was arrested by the U.S. Marshal Service.

Thomas is also a TikTok star who goes by the name “Mr. Prada.”

Officials believe the murder occurred at an apartment complex on Essen Lane in Baton Rouge.

According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Dr. Abraham was last seen alive on surveillance video around 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, when he entered Thomas’ apartment.

“We have witnesses at the apartment complex who saw the suspect dragging the victim’s body,” said EBRSO Chief Administrative Deputy Casey R. Hicks.

Dr. Abraham’s body was found Sunday morning, Sept. 29, in Tangipahoa Parish, wrapped in a tarp and left next to a highway. His car was reported missing but was later spotted at a mall where the suspect was seen entering a store.

Officers with the Baton Rouge Police Department saw the car driving along Sherwood Forest Boulevard on Monday.

Witnesses tell us that the police stopped Thomas in a parking lot. He tried to back up and when he realized he couldn’t get out, he drove through an alleyway to the back parking lot.

Witnesses say a wheel of the car fell off and Thomas got out of the car and ran away.

“When this information was shared with everyone, family members came forward and said that after being chased by BRPD, he got a ride to his apartment and somehow managed to get to the bus station. And from the bus station he took the bus to Dallas, Texas,” Hicks said.

East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Homicide Detectives searched Thomas’ home the day before and found evidence that a violent physical altercation had occurred there.

They found several sharp objects, weapons and a lot of blood. The blood test from the Louisiana State Crime Lab matched Dr. Abraham.

“We have a DNA match at the suspect’s residence for the victim and believe that may be where the crime occurred,” Hicks said.

According to EBRSO, the investigation is ongoing, but at this time there is no evidence that Thomas was one of Dr. Abraham’s client was.

“We have search warrants, we have search warrants to collect additional evidence to get more information in this case. “While we probably have grounds to charge him with murder, we still have a lot of evidence to collect,” Hicks said.

Thomas’ father appeared in court for his initial appearance. “I express my condolences to the other family,” he told WAFB-TV outside the courtroom after the hearing ended. He had no further comment.

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