DNA Confirms Missing Louisiana Man's Remains, Death Ruled Homicide

Developers clearing a wooded property along River Road in Ponchatoula made a grim discovery last September: human remains less than a mile from where 43-year-old James "Jimmy" Wood had vanished three months earlier. On March 17, DNA testing conducted at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab confirmed those remains belonged to Wood, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reclassified the case as a homicide.

Wood was last captured on surveillance video on June 19, 2025, walking near the La 22 Mart at the corner of Highway 22 and Lee's Landing in Ponchatoula. Relatives spoke with him for the last time two days later, on June 21. His car, keys, and other belongings were left at his home in the 40000 block of River Road, and he was officially reported missing on June 25. The remains were found on September 12.

The official cause of death remains undetermined, but investigators confirmed the presence of a gunshot wound among the decomposed remains. The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab and the specialized FACES lab both contributed to the identification effort over the roughly six months between discovery and confirmation.

Sheriff Gerald Sticker did not soften the announcement. "Our hearts go out to this family, as this is devastating news following an excruciating wait for answers about where Jimmy is," he said in a statement. "While we now have one answer, there are several more unanswered questions, including what happened to Jimmy and who is responsible for what happened to him. My detectives have not stopped searching for those answers, and they will not stop."

When asked about suspects, Sticker was direct: "I think someone out there knows an individual that maybe James had a problem with." He added that investigators believe the suspects are likely known within the community, though no arrests have been announced.

A separate thread of the investigation involves a structure fire. A vacant building near where Wood's remains were found burned down shortly after the September 12 discovery, and the State Fire Marshal's office confirmed it is working with TPSO to determine whether the two events are connected.

Wood's sister, Crystal Burge, described her brother to WBRZ back in July 2025, a month after he went missing: "He is a character, he always has a joke, a very hard worker, if he walked in a room you're going to know he's there."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the TPSO Investigations Division at (985) 902-2088. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa at (800) 554-5245 or at tangicrimestoppers.com.