A murder victim whose burned body was found last week on a dead-end DeQuincy street has been identified, and a warrant issued for a suspect.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said the victim has been identified as Zacchaeus "Zac" Burton, 29, of Baton Rouge.
A warrant has been issued for Nathaniel Mitchell, III, 40, of Iowa. He's wanted for second-degree murder, the sheriff said. Detectives have learned that Mitchell boarded a plane bound for St. Louis over the weekend, and they are working with authorities there to track him down, the sheriff said during a press conference today.
Mitchell has an extensive criminal history, including drug charges, attempted murder, obstruction and resisting charges and robbery charges, the sheriff said.
Mancuso said detectives believe that Burton took the bus to Calcasieu Parish to participate in some criminal operation with Mitchell and other suspects, but something went wrong and he ended up dead.
Mancuso said it doesn't matter what Burton's history was or why he was in the parish, his murder is being treated like the murder of anyone else.
"We don't care the status of any citizen in CP, when we have a homicide here, we're going to do everything we can in our power to solve this murder," Mancuso said. "Would-be murders need to understand that we're going to give 110 percent, no matter who it is, no matter what the circumstances."
Burton had a long history of mostly drug crimes on his record in Baton Rouge. He was released from state prison in January after serving a sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm and illegal use of a weapon. He’d originally been arrested in 2015 in that case on armed robbery and attempted murder. In that case there was a struggle over a gun during the robbery and a shot fired, but no one was injured.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Mitchell is asked to contact Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office immediately at (337) 491-3605 (or call Crime Stoppers at 439-2222 if they wish to remain anonymous).
The investigation is continuing and more arrests and charges are likely.
CPSO Detective Keeba Barber is the lead investigator on this case.
