Burned body found near DeQuincy identified as Baton Rouge man, murder warrant issued for Iowa man

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - A body found near DeQuincy last week has been identified as a Baton Rouge man and a murder warrant has been issued in connection with his death, Calcasieu Parish authorities said at a news conference Tuesday.

The body of 29-year-old Zaccheus “Zac” H. Burton was found around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, at the end of dead-end road D. Williams Road, which is off Rigmaiden Road.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said Tuesday that an arrest warrant for second-degree murder has been issued for Iowa man Nathaniel Mitchell III, 40. Judge Robert Wyatt signed the warrant in the amount of $1 million.

Mitchell flew out of Lake Charles on Sunday, July 21, to St. Louis, Missouri. Authorities are asking anyone with information on Mitchell’s whereabouts to contact the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-491-3605, or Crime Stoppers at 439-2222 if they wish to remain anonymous. Det. Keeba Barber is the lead investigator.

Burton’s body was severely burned when it was found, and had to be identified using DNA, Mancuso said. He said the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Calcasieu Coroner’s Office both said the victim had been dead since noon of July 17, about five hours.

Mancuso said deputies learned that Burton had traveled from Baton Rouge to the Lake Charles area by bus on Tuesday and was staying with Mitchell in Iowa.

Authorities believe Mitchell and Burton traveled separately on July 17 to D. Williams Road, where Burton was killed, then his body burned.

Mancuso said there are believed to be other suspects involved. He did not name them, but urged them to turn themselves in.

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