Two men indicted in two separate cases of murder

A St. Landry Parish grand jury has indicted two men for separate murders involving women. Jordan Jamal Barnes, 33, faces a second-degree murder charge for the July 2016 killing of Erica Hunt. Hunt was reported missing until her remains were discovered in 2018 in a barn in rural Evangeline Parish. The identification of her body was completed in 2024 with assistance from the LSU Forensics Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services. Barnes reportedly confessed to the crime and, if convicted, could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension.

The grand jury also indicted 24-year-old Irving Cisneros Arguelles on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Jorlany Osario Beitez. Beitez went missing recently, and authorities tracked Arguelles to the Beggs area, where he was allegedly caught discarding her phone. Further investigation revealed Beitez's burned SUV in a nearby field, and her body was ultimately found floating in a bayou.

District Attorney Chad Pitre has announced that his office has yet to decide whether to seek the death penalty in Beitez's case. Should they opt not to pursue that route and Arguelles is convicted, he could also face a mandatory life sentence without parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

Both cases highlight ongoing concerns regarding violence against women in the community. The legal proceedings will unfold as the families and communities await justice for the victims. The seriousness of these charges underlines the gravity of the situations involved, and the indictments are a crucial step toward accountability for the accused.