A Nigerian-born computer science professor, Samuel Eweni, 75, was tragically stabbed to death in his New Orleans home on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in what police describe as a domestic incident involving his son.

Eweni, a respected faculty member at Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), was attacked at the family residence on Pebble Drive in the Little Woods area of New Orleans East. The incident occurred at about 10 p.m.

Police confirmed that his son, Chukwuebuka Eweni, 27, was arrested in Jefferson Parish shortly after the attack. He faces charges of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder.

Two of Professor Eweni’s daughters were also stabbed during the attack. One has since been discharged from the hospital, while the other remains hospitalized but is expected to recover.

Family members say Chukwuebuka had a history of mental illness, though he had never shown violent tendencies prior to the tragic incident. He reportedly visited New Orleans East Hospital frequently for mental health support.

Professor Eweni, who hailed from Nigeria before relocating to the United States decades ago, was widely regarded in academic circles for his contributions to computer science education and his mentorship of African and African-American students. His death has sparked grief within the Nigerian diaspora community in Louisiana and among colleagues at SUNO, many of whom described him as a pillar of support for Nigerian students navigating academic life abroad.

The Nigerian community organizations in New Orleans are expected to hold a candlelight procession in his honour as authorities continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack.