Ex-NFL player arrested in Military Road murder

Less than 24 hours after a man was murdered inside his home on Military Road Monday afternoon, the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office said they have made an arrest.

Terreal M. Bierria, 30, 246 E. Augusta Lane, Slidell was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Soron Salter, 30, also of Slidell. Bierria played safety for the Seattle Seahawks between 2002 and 2004. Bierria also played football in Georgia and before that he played high school football in Slidell.

Yesterday afternoon around 1:30 St. Tammany Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call about a disturbance in the 200 block of Military Road and found Salter’s body near the front door of his house at 221A Military Road.

Sheriff Jack Strain said officers had to force the door open because the body was lying across the door. According to Sgt. George Cox, the body had several stab wounds and looked like Salter had been in a very violent struggle.

Witnesses told deputies that they had seen a gray Cadillac parked in front of Salter’s house. Shortly after, deputies got a call from Northshore Regional Medical Center that doctors were treating a person who had lacerations to his hands and arms. Detectives went to the hospital and met Bierria who said he had driven to the hospital in a gray Cadillac. At that point he stopped talking to investigators, except to say he was at the scene of the murder. Cox said Bierria’s wounds were severe, and he was transported to University Hospital in New Orleans for further treatment, then returned to Slidell and arrested for first-degree murder. He is currently in the St. Tammany Jail with no bond, Strain said.

Strain said all evidence points to the fight starting over drugs, and that Bierria was the aggressor in the fight. He did say a weapon and drugs were found at the scene of the crime, but would not elaborate on either.

Both Bierria and Salter were high school friends and played football together. When Bierria returned to Slidell, the two resumed their friendship.

Though the coroner has not said what caused Salter’s death, Strain said it was probably a combination of knife wounds and choking.

The front door to Salter’s house is testament to how hard the two fought. The door is smeared with blood, which Cox said probably belongs to both men.

The sheriff said there is nothing in the men’s past to predict the violent behavior.

However, both men do have arrest records. Bierria has arrests going back to 2000 with arrests for possession of drugs, distribution of drugs, DWI and driving on a suspended license. He was arrested in Slidell, Athens, Ga., College Park, Ga., and New Orleans. Salter’s record goes back to 1999, and he has had arrests for possession of drugs, distribution of drugs and resisting arrest.

Strain said that all the evidence points to a fight over drugs, but other than that, police do not know exactly what happened. Bierria is the only one who knows what happened, and he is being uncooperative.

The sheriff said they think they know who made the 911 call, but he would not give a name.

According to the neighbors around Salter’s house, Salter moved in about a month ago with his girlfriend and a small child. Neighbors said they did not talk to him much.

Strain said the evidence gathered gave them probable cause to arrest Bierria.

“The arrest is sound and we will get a conviction in court,” Strain said.