LAPLACE — Authorities identified the body recently found in the wooded area of Ruddock as that of Alan Burl, a 37-year-old LaPlace man who police said was killed.

Burl’s body was discovered Nov. 12, and authorities announced Monday they used dental records to make a positive identification.

Police said Burl was shot, but St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Dane Clement said authorities are not releasing the exact cause of death or information about the shooting wounds Burl suffered.

Burl’s body was recovered along U.S. 51, north of LaPlace. He was reported missing by his sister Nov. 2 after family members had not heard from him since Oct. 29. Burl’s death is classified as a homicide, the fifth in St. John the Baptist Parish this year.

The Sheriff’s Office first received a tip Nov. 10, which led them to the wooded area two days later when the body was discovered.

According to authorities, witnesses last saw Burl Oct. 29 dressed in a black T-shirt, black pants and Reebok tennis shoes.

Deputies began looking for Burl Nov. 2, when Burl’s sister alerted authorities no one had heard from her brother in days. Deputies checked for Burl at an address on Ormond Boulevard, which was his recording studio.

Family members said it was unusual for Burl to go long lengths of time without communicating.

Clement said authorities have not developed suspect information at this time and are not releasing details about those who saw Burl last for safety reasons.

At this time, Clement said investigators have not linked Burl’s death to the recent rash of killings in the parish.

Sheriff Mike Tregre said authorities appreciated the tip that helped locate the body, adding he is hopeful additional cooperation from community members will help solve the case.

“We need more than just that one tip we received,” he said. “We have no way to identify where he was shot at this point.

“(Finding the body) gives the family some closure. We’ve meet with them multiple times. We found him, so they can give him a decent burial. Now, the task is to find out who killed him and why.”

Burl was last seen getting in an unknown make and model car at his residence in the 600 block of Gardenia Drive in LaPlace. The occupants of the car are unknown.

Anyone with information regarding the killing is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

— By Raquel Derganz Baker