Three questioned in Catahoula man’s death

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 9, 2003

COLFAX &045; Police questioned two men and a woman, all of Caldwell Parish, on Wednesday about the shooting death of a Catahoula Parish man whose body was found in Little River.

The men and woman, who were not identified, were arrested in Caldwell Parish Tuesday night. LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Windham said the persons being questioned had not been charged as of Wednesday afternoon.

Windham said this is a four-parish investigation because the victim, Oliver L. Brandenburg, was found in Grant Parish and last seen

Email newsletter signup

in LaSalle Parish.

The men and woman being questioned previously lived in Catahoula Parish and currently live in Caldwell Parish, authorities said.

Brandenburg, 33, of Sicily Island, suffered several gunshot wounds. A fisherman found the badly decomposed body on Sunday.

&uot;It is definitely a homicide,&uot; Windham said.

Investigators said the body could have been in the river for five or six days, possibly longer, before being found.

Oliver Brandenburg Sr., Oliver Brandenburg’s father, said he had not seen his son since before Easter. The younger Brandenburg was living with him and his wife.

&uot;You just don’t know, losing your son,&uot; Brandenburg Sr. said.

Many in tiny Sicily Island knew Brandenburg and said he was well-liked.

&uot;He was a very good-hearted person,&uot; said Jennifer Watson of Clayton, an employee of B&B Grocery said.

Watson said she only knew Brandenburg as a customer for the past two years but said &uot;as far as I know everybody liked him.&uot;

&uot;It bothered me and kind of shocked me because you don’t think of that happening in this community,&uot; Watson said. &uot;Its like a one-horse town.&uot;

Brandenburg also frequented Short Stop in Sicily Island and met employee Susan Stevens.

&uot;I didn’t know him personally but he was always really nice when he came in here,&uot; Stevens said.

&uot;He was a well-known face around here.&uot;

The autopsy of Brandenburg’s body is halfway completed, according to Windham.

Detectives do not know where Bradenburg was killed, how many times he was shot or what caliber gun was used.

There is also no reported motive for the shooting.