Body found on outskirts of Bogalusa is identified

The body that was discovered in a wooded area behind Paul’s Seafood Deli on Sullivan Drive on Aug.  7 after a dog appeared with a human hand has been identified as Terry Edward Schneider, 49, of Jefferson Parish, Washington Parish Coroner Roger Casama said after the family was notified late Tuesday afternoon.

The identification was made after a review of medical records, an examination by the LSU forensic anthropology team lead by Mary Manhein and autopsy exams done in Bogalusa and Baton Rouge, he said.

Schneider reportedly had visited St. Tammany Parish Hospital where he was told he needed to have a leg amputated due to severe cellulitis, said Kathy Casama, the coroner’s civil administrator. He then checked into LSU Bogalusa Medical Center, and when he was told the same, he left against medical advice on June 30, she said.

The clothing Schneider was wearing at LSUBMC matched that found with the body, said the coroner. Tattoos on his left leg helped confirm his identity, and X-rays taken of the body made it a positive match, he said.

The X-rays showed a fusion of his right leg bones, an ankle deformity and a fracture in his right leg, said Casama.

“Right now the exact cause of death has not been determined,” he said. “There was no sign of trauma. It will be classified as undetermined until we get DNA evidence that it was homicide or a natural death.”