2 men charged in murder, arson

Two men are charged in a incident in which the body of 31-year-old Shontel Denise Joseph, of Opelousas, was discovered at a mobile home fire at 639 Choppys Road in Church Point on Sunday, a State Fire Marshal’s Office’s news release stated.
On Tuesday, Nicholas James Dupuis, 33, of Crowley, was arrested and charged with two counts of simple arson and a single count of first-degree murder.
On Sunday, Kantarise Tatty Jordan Lazaro, 22, of Church Point, was charged as an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
Lazaro told investigators he was contacted by Dupuis for assistance in disposing of the body of Dupuis’ girlfriend, the report stated.
Lazaro said he followed Dupuis to a remote location in a field where he helped place the lifeless body of the woman into a plastic garbage can, which was then doused with gasoline and ignited in a failed attempt to destroy the body, the report stated.
After the garbage can melted, Lazaro and Dupuis placed the remains into Lazaro’s Lincoln Town Car, which Dupuis drove away, the report stated.
Lazaro said he left the field in another vehicle and had no knowledge or involvement in the murder or the subsequent fire at 639 Choppy’s Road (La. 365), a mobile home which area residents said had been vacant and unoccupied for some time, the report stated.
In addition to the residence, two other structures on the property were set ablaze. Samples of fire debris were secured by investigators after an accelerant detection canine alerted to areas within the burned structures, indicating the possible use of ignitable liquid fuel.
Lazaro’s 1999 Town Car was later discovered burned on Blacksmith Road near Brittany Road (La. 95) northwest of Church Point, the report stated.
The burned car led investigators to Lazaro, the report stated.
Lazaro first told investigators he had no knowledge or involvement in the fires and an associate, Dupuis, had borrowed the car, but had returned it to his residence, the report stated.
Investigators had found female clothing, shoes, and other items of evidence in the car, the report stated.
Lazaro ultimately recanted his initial statement, admitting to investigators that he had knowledge of a homicide involving Dupuis who had solicited his assistance in disposing of the body of Dupuis’ girlfriend, the report stated.
Preliminary findings in an autopsy conducted Monday established that the victim had suffered two gunshot wounds to the upper torso.
Dupuis has been booked into the Acadia Parish Jail. His total bond was set at $1,050,000.
Lazaro was released after posting $10,000 bond.
Investigators were summoned to the scene after firefighters from the Mire Volunteer Fire Department responded at approximately 6:30 a.m. Sunday to a report by a passing motorist of a residential fire. Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office were assisted by investigators from the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office.