"Helen Hill was an artist, filmmaker, community activist and subversive southern belle…Her life was an inspired art project." The Guardian

January 4, 2007, 5:10am
True Faust-Finnan, a 60 year-old guest at a B&B a few doors away from Paul and Helen's house on North Rampart street, encounters an intruder.

The man flees and the couple called 911.  Police respond to their call.

Shortly after, gunshots are heard and police are soon diverted to the home of Helen and Paul.

Helen Hill has been shot by an intruder and Paul has been wounded.   It's believed that the intruder entered the home through the backdoor when he encountered Helen.

Paul grabbed his son and fled to the bathroom to hide.  Paul is struck 3 times in the hand, cheek and forearm in an attempt to shield his son from the bullets.  Francis Pop is unharmed.   

Helen dies at the scene. 

January 10, 2007
Friends, family and fellows in the film community from Halifax, Cambridge, New Orleans, New York and Korea gathered for Helen Hill's funeral in Columbia, South Carolina.  Helen is buried in the cemetery beside her grandfather, Pop.

January 11 2007
Helen's murder outrages New Orleans. The city's murder rate is surging. Days earlier, violence also claimed Dinerral Shavers, a 25 year-old snare drummer for the Hot 8 Brass Band, a popular local band. Organizer Baty Landis of Silence is Violence and many others come together with 3000 members of the community to protest the violence and demand safer communities. The protest calls for the resignation of Mayor Ray Nagin, District Attorney Eddie Jordan, and Police Superintendent Warren Riley.

February 27, 2007
A jazz funeral in New Orleans is held in Helen's honour to celebrate her life.