Essence Peters: New Orleans Woman Killed, Buried in Backyard
Essence Peters was a loving person with a bright future, her family said. The 24-year-old New Orleans woman was in a relationship with a man who her family thought they knew.
Benjamin Camp, 24 and Peters had been seeing each other for some time, but on this day, they had a bad argument.
Around 6 p.m. Saturday, June 28, 2025, officers arrived on a residential street, where they said they received a call from Camp who told them he had fatally shot his girlfriend and buried her body in the backyard.
Officers soon found Peters’ body. She had been shot eight times.
Na' Keshia Ruiz, the mother of the victim, told local TV station WSDU the last time she spoke to her daughter, they said they’d meet up. "I FaceTimed her around 10:30 in the morning. We talked. I told her I was going to come get her to braid her hair."
"When Thursday came, I called her, but she wasn't answering. Later on Thursday, she texted me on Facebook." Or so she thought. Ruiz said she later learned that it was her daughter's boyfriend, Camp, that was responding to her messages.
Ruiz said that her daughter never told her about any violence between the two, even though there was an argument two weeks ago, which caused Peters to move out of the residence for a couple of days. Now Ruiz knows better.
"When you see that first sign, just go. Just get out. The first chance you have, talk to your family. Let your family know what's going on. Don't hide anything," Ruiz was quoted as saying.
Camp's bond has been set at $1.2 million.
DON’T HAVE TO BE A VICTIM!
Read the warning signs of a hurtful relationship.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts or practicing self-harm, contact the the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time. Online live chat is also available. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, for assistance, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
