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Louisiana Business Owner Killed in Home Invasion-Homicide, Authorities Asking for Help Identifying Person Responsible

Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana – A Louisiana business owner has been killed in a home invasion-homicide. Authorities are now asking for help identifying the person responsible.

On March 15, 2023, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright reported that Detectives are investigating a home invasion homicide near Campti, Louisiana.

On Tuesday evening, March 14, 2023, at approximately 11:06 pm, Deputies assigned to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office (NPSO) Patrol Operations Bureau responded to NATCOM 911 Center reports of an unresponsive male lying on the floor of his residence in the 100 block of Jim Bell Road, north of Campti, Louisiana.

After arriving at the scene, deputies made contact with a relative that stated he went to the residence to check on his uncle. Soon afterward, he observed the front door breached and observed his Uncle lying on the floor unresponsive. Deputies then entered the residence and discovered a deceased male lying on the floor identified as 71-year-old Mark L. Hailey, of Campti, Louisiana.

Detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office were summoned and responded to the scene. Deputies indicated that while speaking with the relative they learned Mr. Hailey’s 2015 Ford F-350 pickup truck, maroon in color was missing from the residence, and NATCOM 911 Center issued a BOLO for the vehicle.

Natchitoches Parish Assistant Coroner Steven Clanton pronounced Hailey dead at the scene from apparent blunt and sharp-force trauma and the body was then transported to a Shreveport Forensic Pathologist Office for an autopsy to determine the matter and cause of death.

The crime was ruled a homicide and the scene was photographed and processed using specialized equipment for several hours.

On Wednesday morning, March 15, shortly after 7:30 am, NATCOM 911 Center received a call of a suspicious vehicle being abandoned on Tauzin Island Road in the Grand Ecore area near Natchitoches.
Deputies responded and discovered the abandoned vehicle to be the victim’s 2015 Ford F-350 truck and NPSO Detectives requested assistance from the Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit. Detectives along with 3 Red River Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Technicians processed the vehicle for evidence.
The vehicle has been towed and secured at an undisclosed storage facility for further processing.

Family and friends were then interviewed in an effort to gather additional facts or other information to assist in the investigation. During the investigation, detectives learned that Mr. Hailey was the owner of Fat Daddy’s Crawfish in Shreveport, Louisiana, and at one time owned Fat Daddy’s Crawfish on Texas Street in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Sheriff Wright stated “our detectives in conjunction with assistance from the Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office and Northwest La. Crime Lab are working tirelessly in an effort to identify the person or persons responsible for this senseless crime of violence.

Authorities are asking that anyone with information regarding this case to contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division at 318-357-7830, by downloading the P3 Tips app on your smartphone, or by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388.

Authorities indicated that all tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward of up to $2,500 for the arrest of an offender.

Agents in this case include Detective Sgt. Jared Kilpatrick, Detective Sgt. Craig LaCour, and the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau.

A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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