A Kansas woman has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with a Newton County man who disappeared in February, one day before someone intentionally set fire to his house, officials said.
Melvin Cooksey of Covington was confirmed dead in a Thursday announcement from the Newton sheriff’s office. His suspected killer, 35-year-old Danetta Anne Knoblauch of Wichita, was booked into the Newton jail July 4 and faces additional charges of aggravated assault and arson, agency spokeswoman Caitlin Jett said. Officials did not share Cooksey’s cause of death.
He officially went missing Feb. 23, one day before someone set fire to his home on Mote Road in a rural area about 5 miles southwest of Covington, Jett said. A white hatchback was seen driving away from the house shortly before it caught on fire, according to Jett.
Cooksey was paralyzed on one side of his body, and much of his indispensable medical equipment was left at home when he went missing. At the time, his family and friends expressed serious concerns to sheriff’s deputies after not hearing from Cooksey for nearly a week before his house went up in flames.
The GBI, Louisiana State police, Baton Rouge police and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations all assisted the sheriff’s office in arresting Knoblauch. Despite the suspect’s arrest, Jett said the investigation remains open.
Credit: Newton County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Newton County Sheriff's Office
No further details have been released about the case, including the nature of the relationship between Cooksey and Knoblauch or what might have motivated her to allegedly kill him and set his house on fire.
About the Author
