3 arrested in connection with a body located in Tickfaw yesterday afternoon.
TICKFAW, LA – (May 30, 2018) - Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards reports that detectives have arrested three Tangipahoa Parish residents in connection with the death of a 43-year-old Louisiana man whose body was found in a wooded area yesterday afternoon in Tickfaw, LA.
On May 29, 2018, around 7:44 a.m., 43-year-old Bowen Dewey Soulier of Pearl River, LA. was reported missing by family members. The family reported that they had not seen or heard from Soulier since early last Friday, May 25, 2018. Yesterday afternoon at approximately 2:00 p.m., Soulier’s body was located lying in a wood-line near the roadway on Oller Rd.
As of early this morning, 25-year-old Cody Powell of Loranger, 27-year-old Kayla Rodrigue of Ponchatoula, 19-year-old Darwin Dugger of Amite, LA have been arrested and charged in connection with Soulier’s disappearance and death. Powell and Rodrigue were apprehended around 3:00 a.m. at the Hwy 190 Motel in Hammond, LA. Powell has been charged with first degree murder, armed robbery by use of a firearm and obstruction of justice and Rodrigue charged with obstruction of justice, principle to armed robbery, and principle to first degree murder. At approximately 4:00 a.m., TPSO detectives located the third suspect, 19-year-old Darwin Dugger at a residence in Independence. Dugger has been charged with first degree murder, obstruction of justice, and armed robbery.
Over the course of the investigation, detectives learned that the victim planned to meet up with Rodrigue at a location in Tickfaw. Unbeknownst to him, the meeting was allegedly just a set-up for robbery. It is believed that when Soulier arrived to meet Rodrigue, he was met by two additional subjects who planned to rob him. Tragically during the attempt, a brief struggle ensued and Soulier was shot and killed by one male subjects. The perpetrators then loaded Soulier’s body into his vehicle and traveled a short distance before unloading his body on the side of the road near the corner of Oller and North Oller Rd. They then proceeded to drive the victim’s green Ford F 150 to the parish line in Uneedus where they set the vehicle on fire.
Soulier was located by a driver who happened to see his body lying in the wood-line near the roadway. Soulier was a resident of Pearl River, LA., however worked and had family and friends in Tangipahoa Parish.
This investigation is still on-going. Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding this homicide to please contact the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office at 985-902-2088. Detectives Stephen Jenkins and Heath Martin are the lead investigators on this case.
