Dr. Ralph Newsome, Jr., 45, Tulane Surgeon Stabbed to Death in French Quarter Home that was Set on Fire

Dr. Ralph Edward Newsome, Jr., 45, a Tulane University plastic surgeon, known for healing the disfigured limbs and facial features of trauma victims and skin cancer patients, was stabbed to death inside his home in the French Quarter early Saturday. He home was then set on fire in an attempt to conceal the crime and any possible clues leading to the killer. He was found unconscious on the second floor of his home, stabbed several times, but he was pronounced dead at LSU Interim Public Hospital. The police have not made any arrests or named any suspects in the case.

Newsome was listed in a directory of gay doctors and medical providers. He received his medical doctorate from the University of South Alabama. He also completed a general surgery residence there.

Dr. Ralph Newsome, from Huntsville, Ala., moved to Mississippi and started a private practice in general surgery and emergency medicine. He then completed a plastic surgery residency program at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia and earned certifications from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery before joining Tulane's medical school faculty in 1998.

He worked his way to assistant dean of medical education at Tulane and served as the chief of plastic surgery. His background in emergency medicine, general surgery and plastic surgery "was a unique combination of skills to have, " Sachs said. "He was a gift." At Tulane, he nursed a passion for healing the limbs of patients wounded in car accidents and physical assaults. His skills especially suited him to care for people stricken with skin cancer -- he could not only surgically remove their tumors, he could also repair the disfigurements the procedures left behind. Source: NOLA.com

This is a sad turn of events and I hope a suspect is apprehended sooner rather than later. The residents of New Orleans and the medical community have lost a great doctor and friend.