The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office (CPSO) conducted a homicide investigation on Wednesday, July 17 in DeQuincy after they were contacted about the burned body of an African American male found on D. Williams Rd. The body was unidentifiable due to severe burns but was later identified as Zacchaeus H. Burton, 29, of Baton Rouge.

During the initial investigation, detectives learned Burton had arrived in Calcasieu Parish on Tuesday by bus from Baton Rouge and was staying with an acquaintance, Nathaniel Mitchell, III, 40, 307 Redwood Avenue, Iowa. Detectives believe Burton and Mitchell traveled separately to the DeQuincy area on Wednesday where Burton was subsequently murdered later the same day around noon.  Detectives believe he was killed and then badly burned in the same location where his body was found. After further investigation, Judge Robert Wyatt signed an arrest warrant in the amount of $1,000,000 for Mitchell for 2nd-degree murder. Detectives learned Mitchell boarded a plane in Lake Charles to St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday, July 21; and now consider him a fleeing fugitive. 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). - Kayla Vincent, CPSO

After further investigation, on July 24, a second suspect, George A. Buck, 27, of Lake Charles was identified and is believed to have been involved in the murder of Burton. Detectives learned that Buck was an acquaintance of Mitchell and had met with him in DeQuincy where the murder took place.

Buck was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and charged with second-degree murder. His bond was set at $1,000,000 by Judge Robert Wyatt.

The investigation is ongoing, with more arrests and charges likely.

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