Colfax, LA (4/11/2024) — The Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested three individuals in connection with the death of James Ingram, whose burned body was discovered in the Kisatchie National Forest on April 2, 2024.
Ingram, 68, was reported missing on April 1, 2024, by his employer, according to Grant Parish Sheriff Steven McCain. An appeal for information regarding Ingram’s whereabouts and his 2020 silver Honda Accord was issued on social media by the sheriff’s office.
On April 6, authorities announced the grim discovery of Ingram’s body. Sheriff McCain revealed that Ingram had been seen filling his Accord with gasoline at a Colfax station around 10 p.m. on Easter Sunday. Ingram subsequently encountered Michael Shane Taylor and Jessica Marie Bledsoe in Rapides Parish, where they allegedly injected him with drugs, resulting in his death.
Taylor and Bledsoe then purportedly drove around Alexandria in Ingram’s car, with his body still inside, before dumping it in a remote area of Kisatchie National Forest. Subsequently, Bledsoe and Levy Edmond Bordelon returned to the forest, where they set Ingram’s body ablaze on April 2, 2024.
The breakthrough in the case came when a concerned citizen, having seen the social media post about Ingram and his vehicle, contacted the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office. The discovery of Ingram’s car parked in a Texas Roadhouse parking lot in Alexandria led to further investigations by law enforcement agencies.
Jessica Marie Bledsoe, 29, of Dry Prong, faces charges of principal to arson, obstruction of justice, and unlawful disposal of remains in Grant Parish, as well as second-degree murder in Rapides Parish.
Michael Shane Taylor, 38, of Pineville, faces charges of obstruction of justice and unlawful disposal of remains in Grant Parish, and second-degree murder in Rapides Parish.
Levy Edmond Bordelon, 46, of Alexandria, faces charges of arson and obstruction of justice.
According to APD Chief Chad Gremillion, Bledsoe and Taylor will eventually be transferred to the Rapides Parish Detention Center #1 to face second-degree murder charges.
McCain confirmed that officials are awaiting autopsy results. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office, Colfax Police Department, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Alexandria Police Department, Pineville Police Department, and Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office.
UrbanCast/involvedinitall.com extends sincere condolences to Mr. Ingram’s family and friends.
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A law enforcement-related agency has provided this information as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal “All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.” or arrested and charged with a crime have not been convicted of any criminal offense. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
