Mississippi law enforcement found a body last week after Lafayette Police asked them to check a location, KPLC reports.
Lafayette Police tell us the investigation is related to the slaying of Randall Duplechin, 65, of Lafayette.
Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison told KPLC that the Lafayette Police Department contacted them on Monday, June 19, requesting assistance in searching for human remains they believed were dumped at a location in Mississippi. The area was searched and no remains were found.
But on Thursday, June 29, Lafayette police called back with a new location near Hwy. 11 and Stone Chapel Road. Human remains were found at the second location later that afternoon, KPLC reports. The road was closed and the area secured while Mississippi officials waited for Lafayette police to arrive. Lafayette officers arrived around 9:30 p.m. and worked through the night.
We asked Lafayette Police today if this was related to the Randall Duplechin case, and they said yes.
Back in June, a Mississippi man was booked with First-Degree Murder, accused of the slaying of Duplechin, 65, of Lafayette.
Justin Weber, 40, was booked into the Harrison County jail. Lafayette Police have confirmed that charge is related to the slaying of Duplechin.
Lafayette Police got a warrant for Weber's arrest after they got a call from Harrison County Sheriff's deputies telling them to check on a house on Leonie Street. Once there officers found "evidence that a homicide occurred."
Initially, police would not tell us anything about whether Duplecin's body was found when they checked the house, but KATC Investigates called the Lafayette Coroner's Office and officials there said they did not pick up a body at Leonie Street, and that they did not have Duplechin's body.
Today Lafayette Police say that they're "actively following leads in regard to locating the remains of the victim" in the case, identified as Duplechin. And, they put out the call for citizens to help them with any information about the two men's movements since last Thursday.
