The murder of Michelle Tyler, the 29-year-old older sister of New Orleans rapper Mystikal, remains unsolved. Her live-in boyfriend, Damion Neville, was charged with second-degree murder in 1994 and later acquitted at trial. No other suspect has been publicly identified, and there is no indication the case has been reopened.
What Happened on September 22, 1994
Michelle Tyler, an aspiring R&B singer who had recently signed with the local label Big Boy Records, was found dead in her bed inside the family’s New Orleans home on the morning of September 22, 1994.1HotNewHipHop. Mystikal Details His Sister’s Murder, Has Forgiven the Man He Believes Is Responsible2HotNewHipHop. Damion Neville Speaks on Being Acquitted of Mystikal’s Sister’s Murder3Orlando Sentinel. Attorney Connick Drops Neville Prosecution Case Her brother Michael Tyler, who performs as Mystikal, discovered the body. The date was his birthday.
The Arrest of Damion Neville
Police focused quickly on Tyler’s 22-year-old boyfriend, Damion Neville, who was living with her at the time. He was arrested, charged with second-degree murder, and held on $500,000 bail. According to police, he confessed to the stabbing.4Tampa Bay Times. Neville’s Grandson Charged in Slaying
Neville came from a well-known New Orleans musical family. His grandfather was Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers, and his mother was the singer Charmaine Neville.4Tampa Bay Times. Neville’s Grandson Charged in Slaying
The Prosecution Was Transferred to the State
By February 1995, Orleans Parish District Attorney Harry Connick had removed his office from the case, and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office took over the prosecution of Neville.3Orlando Sentinel. Attorney Connick Drops Neville Prosecution Case The reason for the recusal was not detailed in available reporting.
Acquittal and Two Different Stories
Neville was found not guilty of murdering Michelle Tyler.1HotNewHipHop. Mystikal Details His Sister’s Murder, Has Forgiven the Man He Believes Is Responsible The verdict left the two families with sharply different versions of what happened that night.
In a 2020 interview with the Murder Master Music Show, Neville said New Orleans police coerced his confession. He claimed officers initially questioned him about drugs, handcuffed him to a table, choked him, and held a gun to his head until he agreed he had done it. “They choked me out, had a gun to my head, and told me I did it and me being a twenty-year-old, I’m trying to live so I said, ‘Alright, I done it,'” Neville said. He maintained he was not at the home when Tyler was killed and said prosecutors had no physical evidence tying him to the crime.2HotNewHipHop. Damion Neville Speaks on Being Acquitted of Mystikal’s Sister’s Murder
Mystikal has given a different account. In a VladTV interview, he said Neville confessed before later recanting, and he has stated publicly that he still believes Neville killed his sister. He has also said he has forgiven him, describing the forgiveness as a way of not carrying the anger.1HotNewHipHop. Mystikal Details His Sister’s Murder, Has Forgiven the Man He Believes Is Responsible
Case Status
No public reporting indicates that the Michelle Tyler case has been reopened, that new evidence has surfaced, or that any other suspect has been identified. After Neville’s acquittal, the investigation has not produced a second prosecution.
How Mystikal Has Addressed the Case in His Music
Mystikal has said the loss “changed my whole perspective,” and that sharing a date with the killing turned his birthday into an annual reminder, something he once called his “birthday present.” He worked through the grief on his 1997 album Unpredictable, which included “Shine,” a tribute to Michelle, and “Murderer 2,” a track addressed directly to Damion Neville.5MusicianGuide.com. Mystikal Biography