Sabine murder trial date postponed to September

MANY – The trial date of a former Natchitoches Parish police officer accused in a Sabine Parish man’s death has been postponed.

Sabine Parish District Judge Stephen Beasley originally set the first-degree murder trial of Robert Barthelemy for Jan. 19 and had been pushing toward that goal. However, late last week, after Barthelemy changed his plea, Beasley moved the trial date to Sept. 28.

He’s yet to sign the official orders but members of Tony Procell’s family have been notified.

Barthelemy, 35, is accused in Procell’s Aug. 20, 2013 death. Barthelemy this month changed his plea from not guilty to not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.

District Attorney Don Burkett has said he will seek the death penalty if Barthelemy is convicted in Procell’s death.

Sabine sheriff’s investigators say Barthelemy, of Natchitoches, kidnapped Procell, 24, at gunpoint from his Many home and drove him to a wooded area in Winn Parish where he was killed. Barthelemy was arrested the next day. Procell’s body was found five days later.

The men knew each other from their service in the Louisiana Army National Guard. A domestic situation involving the two and a woman reportedly was at the center of their dispute.

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