Body found Saturday in St. John Parish

Published 3:41 pm Saturday, January 7, 2017

Investigators using sonar discovered a body at approximately noon Saturday, authorities said.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre said the family of Kerry James Keating, who was reported missing in late 2016, hired a private company to search the area where the body was discovered.

No positive identification was initially made Saturday and autopsy is pending, authorities said.

The body was discovered in the canal under Interstate 55 at milepost 2.2 near where Keating’s truck was found.

The discovered body had both arms, Tregre said, and is not related to the arm authorities found last week.

The St. John Sheriff’s Office initially asked for the public’s help locating Keating in early December after Keating was last heard from Nov. 27.

Keating was last seen driving a Chevrolet Silverado that was recovered Nov. 28.

Anyone having any information on the case is asked to contact the SJSO TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or dispatch 985-652-6338.