Lake Charles, LA –
On Wednesday July 17 at approximately 5:00 p.m. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the dead end of D. Williams Road off of Rigmaiden Rd. in DeQuincy in reference to a dead body. When deputies arrived they observed the body of a black male laying on the side of the road. Detectives identified the victim as Zacchaeus H. Burton, 29, 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).
On July 24 after further investigation detectives identified another suspect responsible for the murder of Burton as George A. Buck, 27, Lake Charles. Detectives learned Buck, who is an acquaintance of Mitchell, met up with him in DeQuincy, where the murder occurred. Judge Robert Wyatt signed a warrant in the amount of $1,000,000 for Buck’s arrest. He was arrested later the same day and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and charged with 2nd degree murder.
The investigation is continuing and more arrests and charges are possible.
CPSO Detective Keeba Barber is the lead investigator on this case.