The Daily Advertiser

Authorities say they have located the body of a 75-year-old man near his home in Jeanerette, and another man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to his death.

According to a press release from the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office, Howard Poche's body was found at his residence on the 300 block of Guiberteau Street in Jeanerette Wednesday. The body was discovered by members of the Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory forensic team. Positive identification of the remains is pending an autopsy, the press release says.

Jeffery Lee Marks, 23, of Jeanerette, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection to Poche's death.

Marks was booked into the Iberia Parish Jail. No bond has been set.

Poche was first reported missing Christmas Day, when he did not attend Mass at St. John the Evangelist. Churchgoers who went to his house to check on him found a woman cleaning up "a considerable amount of blood," according to an earlier KLFY report. Jeanerette police detained and questioned the woman, and she was later released.

On Tuesday, authorities confirmed to KLFY that a bike, which had been discovered by a KLFY reporter, belonged to Poche.