Man gets 50 years in prison for manslaughter, then-girlfriend gets 10 years

Published 2:32 pm Tuesday, May 22, 2018

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reported Tuesday afternoon that Charles Joseph Mixon, 43, of Bogalusa, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and obstruction of justice in the 2016 shooting death of a woman whose body was burned beyond recognition. Keri G. Stewart, 43, of Bogalusa, Mixon’s girlfriend at the time, also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the killing.

District Judge Alan Zaunbrecher sentenced Mixon to 40 years in prison on the manslaughter charge and 10 years on the obstruction charge, which will be served consecutive to the manslaughter sentence. Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the obstruction charge.

Mixon shot Cristin James to death during a confrontation between Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 in 2016 at a house on Shorty Bush Road, just outside Bogalusa, and then attempted to dispose of James’s body.

Montgomery said that Stewart claimed she was at the house but was not in the room when James was shot. Stewart tried to assist in the cover-up, driving James’ car away from the scene on Aug. 2, but Stewart wrecked the car and was severely injured, Montgomery said.

Assistant District Attorney David Weilbaecher Jr. prosecuted the case.