Multiple arrests have been made in Grant and Rapides Parishes after the discovery of 68-year-old James Morrow Ingram of Colfax’s burned body was found in the Kisatchie National Forest on April 2nd. Grant Parish Sheriff Steven McCain said Ingram left his home Easter night and drove to Alexandria where he met Michael Shane Taylor and Jessica Bledsoe in a parking lot, and they injected drugs into him.
“Mr. Ingram lost consciousness and then at some point they injected a second syringe into Mr. Ingram. At that point, he stopped breathing and they realized that he passed away,” said McCain.
McCain said Taylor and Bledsoe then drove around in Ingram’s car with his body inside and eventually drove to Kisatchie National Forest. They removed his body and left it in the forest on Monday.
“On Tuesday, Jessica Bledsoe and Levy Bordelon returned to the scene where Mr. Ingram’s body was and they set it on fire,” said McCain.
On Tuesday night, McCain said they received a Facebook tip that Ingram’s vehicle was in the parking lot of a restaurant in Alexandria. The car was secured and Ingram’s whereabouts were still unknown. The following day Taylor and Bledsoe were identified on video surveillance using Ingram’s credit card.
Pineville Police Chief Darrel Basco said the case was solved through the cooperation of several law enforcement agencies who worked tirelessly to arrest three individuals.
“The public and their tips through social media, was one of the things that put us on the first path that we needed to go forward with this investigation,” said Basco.
Toxicology results are pending as to what was injected into Ingram’s body. Both Taylor and Bledsoe face second-degree murder charges, unlawful disposal of remains, and obstruction of justice charges. Bledsoe also faces arson charges along with Levy Edmond Bordelon.
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