PONCHATOULA — The family of a man whose body was found in Ponchatoula says he was shot before he died. 

Developers were clearing a property along River Road in September 2025 when they found the remains of James Wood, 43, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said.

His body was not identified until March of this year, and the sheriff's office began investigating the incident as a homicide.

According to Wood's family, he had been shot in the back of his head.

They said Wood will be buried in Vidor, Texas, "to be close to his daughters." The family added that, due to his death being investigated as a homicide, Woods could not be cremated in case his remains need to be recovered for further investigation.