No foul play suspected after body pulled from Vinton canal, deputies say

VINTON, La. (KPLC) - South of Vinton, Old Highway 90 comes to an end at the Burned-Out Bridge Boat Launch. That’s where a body was spotted floating in the canal Tuesday morning.

“They were able to recover the body of a Black male from the water. At this time we’re attempting to make identification. We think we have an idea of who it might be, not sure, but as soon as we have an identity we will notify family,” Calcasieu Parish Sheriff-elect Stitch Guillory said.

Authorities said at this time no foul play is suspected.

“There didn’t appear to be any foul play, no gunshot wounds or stab wounds to the body. Of course, the body was turned over to the coroner’s office, and it’s the coroner’s office to determine the cause of death,” Guillory said.

Guillory said the Burned Out Bridge Boat Launch serves as a popular fishing spot, and just last year another body was found in that same area. That man, 34-year-old Steven Hagan, was fishing in the area and reported missing.

“It was his mom who had dropped him off, and she stated that he had dropped him off at that location and he could not swim, so we recovered a body there, is it a coincidence? That we do not know,” Guillory said.

According to the sheriff’s office, there are no reports matching missing persons at this time.

“We feel like we’ll be able to identify the body one way or another. We checked with other police departments, and nobody has anybody reported missing within our are. We checked with Beaumont, and nobody has anybody reported there, so just have to let it play it out and it leads us where it leads us,” Guillory said.

The investigation is in the early stages, and more information will be released as it becomes available.