Arrest made Friday in woman's murder

Crystal Marie Iglehart
(Courtesy Mississippi DOC)

Lafelix D. Miller, 29, first arrested two hours earlier on a variety of charges, is also being held in connection with the murder of 24-year-old Crystal Marie Iglehart of Columbia, Miss.

Miller was arrested on the murder charge early Friday morning.

"When the body was discovered in his front yard (about 2 a.m.), he immediately became a suspect," said Bogalusa Chief of Police Joe Culpepper.

Lafelix Miller

Culpepper said Miller had been arrested about two hours earlier on a complaint about a disturbance. That complaint led officers to charge him with indecency, as he was running naked down the street. He was also charged with resisting arrest and battery on a police officer.

Miller is said to have an extensive criminal record.

Culpepper said evidence frecovered from his person, the crime scene, the autopsy and from witness statements led to his arrest earlier Friday.

Iglehart's last known address was 610 Park Ave. in Columbia, according to the Mississippi Parole Board. She had been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and flight-escape. She pled guilty on Jan. 16 in Columbia to charges of escape of a felon.

An area merchant said street talk was that the victim was a prostitute thought to be a “new arrival” in Bogalusa and that she had been severely beaten and strangled.

On Friday morning, Culpepper said police had no evidence that Iglehart was a prostitute.

(This is a reader news tip story.)

Shooter in attempted murder arrested

Police place attempted murder
suspect Nakai "Head" Butler in
Sgt. Patrick Lyons' cruiser Thursday.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Members of the Bogalusa Police Department, and State Fugitive Task Force arrested 22-year-old Nakai R. Butler of Kentwood in connection with the attempted murder of a 17-year-old Bogalusa man on Thursday, June 2.

Police executed the warrant at 1303 Military Road, a house long-associated with drug traffic and activity.

In addition, two women and one man — identified as 27-year-old Jennifer Smith of Bogalusa, 43-year-old Mable Mingo of Angie and 45-year-old El Demetrist Jennings of Angie — taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact to attempted second degree murder (harboring Butler) after they admitted to officers they knew he was wanted.

Mable Mingo

The three were also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and officers at the scene said there was a large amount of drugs in the house.

Approximately two weeks ago, the primary resident of the house was arrested on drug-related charges and was still in jail at the time of Thursday's raid.

Mingo

Ryan Seal, who lives three houses down the street, said he knew of two deaths that had occurred in the house in the 12 years he has lived in the neighborhood.

El Demetrist Jennings

"The ironic thing," Seal said, "is that I was in Chief (Joe) Culpepper's office this morning, telling him we had to do something about this house and the drug traffic. Then, I come home for lunch and here they are ... I thought ‘Man, now that's getting with it!"

Jennings

Culpepper said the assistance of the Fugitive Task Force was requested because Butler, whose nickname is “Head,” has relatives in north Washington Parish area.

Jennifer Smith

Butler has been charged with attempted second-degree murder after shooting a 17-year-old during a fight in the Poplas Quarters area of Bogalusa on June 2. The 17-year-old remains in undisclosed condition at LSU-Bogalusa Medical Center.

Smith

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.com)

(This is a reader news tip story)