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Dismembered body found in Louisiana woods identified, arrests made

Posted at 3:05 PM, Jul 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-24 16:05:11-04

UPDATE: The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the identity of the victim in a dismemberment case. Officials say the victim has been identified as 26-year-old Michael Angelo Neufeld of DonaldsonvilleThe Sheriff also confirms the Jeep Wrangler deputies have been searching for in connection with this same case has been recovered. Eight people were arrested in connection with this case. Arrests made in connection with this case:Duane Bissell of Amite, Martin Morgan of Zachary, Robert Taylor of Denham Springs, William Byars of Denham Springs, Tony Kile, Jr. of Denham Springs, Ashton Hanchey of Zachary, Cheyenne Smith of Zachary and Nancy Logarbo of Gonzales.This investigation is continuing. More arrests are possible, according to deputies. (Some photos of those arrested not available)Read more on the case below:                             Tony Kile, Jr. —————————DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (AP) – Detectives in Louisiana found a dismembered body and believe it’s that of a missing man.  Law enforcement has arrested six men and two women from four parishes in connection with the man’s death. Two were arrested on charges of second-degree murder, which would mean an automatic life sentence if they are indicted and convicted on that charge. Three were arrested as accessories to second-degree murder. The charges in Livingston Parish were not available for three who were arrested and are being held elsewhere.  "This case is very bizarre. The body discovered was actually dismembered. I can confirm the victim is male," Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said in a news release Monday evening.  The victim’s name won’t be released until his identity is confirmed, the statement said. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Lori Steele said Tuesday that she did not know when that might happen.  However, the news release described a Jeep that detectives are looking for. It matches the car driven by an Ascension Parish man whose family reported him missing in early July. In a July 9 Facebook post , the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office said 26-year-old Michael Neufeld was last seen July 2, driving a red 2016 Jeep Wrangler with Louisiana license plate ZWZ515.  Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies working on a missing persons case came to their counterparts in Livingston Parish on Friday with information about a Denham Springs address. Evidence found there led deputies to the body in woods about four miles (6.5 kilometers) south, according to the news release.  The house that was searched belonged to Robert Taylor, 46, WAFB-TV reported .  "Obviously, we believe there was a gathering at the address … earlier this month," Ard said. "Something happened. We’re still trying to figure out exactly what took place."  Taylor was one of those accused as an accessory to murder. He and the two accused of murder – Duane Bissell, 27, of Amite, and Martin Morgan, 31, of Zachary – also face charges of unlawful disposal of remains.  Bissell faces an additional charge: mutilating or disinterring human remains.  William Byars, 37, of Denham Springs and Nancy Logarbo, 27, of Gonzales, were accused of being accessories to murder.  All five were also booked with obstructing justice and a variety of other charges. For instance, charges against Bissell include resisting an officer. Morgan is accused of possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction; Taylor and Byars face several drug charges, and Logarbo is accused of car theft and monetary instrument abuse.  Bonds were set at $490,000 for Bissell, $435,000 for Morgan, more than $300,000 for Taylor, $205,500 for Byars and $185,000 for Logarbo.  Tony Kile, Jr., 27, of Denham Springs, was being held in Avoyelles Parish and Ashton Hanchey, 28, and Cheyenne Smith, 18, both of Zachary, were being held in East Baton Rouge Parish.  It was not clear whether any of the accused had attorneys who could speak for them.Suspect wanted in Livingston Parish murder case arrested