NATCHITCOHES, La. (AP) - A Louisiana man is in custody after a decomposing body was found at the scene of a trailer fire in Natchitoches.
The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal posted Wednesday on Facebook the arrest of Ronald Griffith, 58, who had been living with the deceased’s body for several months, KSLA-TV reported.
Griffith is being held in the Natchitoches Parish Jail on one count of unlawful disposal of remains. Other charges are possible. It was unknown if Griffith has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
The body was discovered when firefighters responded to a trailer fire. Investigators were called after the body was found. A dog’s body was also discovered, the fire marshal’s office said.
Identification and official cause of death are still pending, but the victim is believed to be a 49-year-old woman from Mississippi who had been intermittently staying at the trailer with Griffith, the homeowner, for the past couple of years.
Fire investigators say the fire started in the kitchen. It’s unclear how exactly is started, but an electrical malfunction connected to unattended space heaters may have contributed.
Authorities said Griffith claimed to have allowed the woman to stay in his trailer after finding her sleeping at the cemetery where he worked. Griffith claims that when he found her dead one day, he left her body in the bedroom rather than reporting it to authorities.
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