A suspicious person call resulted in the arrest of a wanted fugitive late Thursday evening, according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.
On Thursday, August 28, 2025, at approximately 10:41 p.m., deputies with the NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau responded to a report of a suspicious male sleeping near a concrete column in the parking lot of a church located in the 1500 block of LA Hwy 494, south of Natchitoches.
Deputies made contact with the individual, who was identified as Lon Singletary, 63, of Shreveport, Louisiana. Singletary informed deputies that he had traveled to the area for a job that was later canceled, and he was attempting to return to Shreveport.
Deputies offered assistance in transporting Singletary to a local bus station. However, in accordance with department protocol, deputies conducted a National Crime Information Center background check and a pat-down for officer safety prior to transport.
The NATCOM 911 Center informed deputies that Singletary had an active NCIC warrant issued by the Texas Pardon & Parole Board for Parole Violation, related to a previous conviction of Simple Burglary. The warrant was issued on May 6, 2025.
Singletary was immediately taken into custody without incident and transported to the LaSalle Corrections/Natchitoches Detention Center, where he was booked on the charge of Fugitive from Texas.
He is currently awaiting extradition.
Further investigation revealed that Singletary has an extensive criminal history in both Texas and Louisiana, including arrests for burglaries, indecency with a child (sex offense), drug-related charges, and simple robbery.
Sheriff Stuart Wright praised the deputies for their diligence and emphasized the importance of community involvement in public safety.
“This is a clear example of how reporting suspicious activity can lead to dangerous individuals being removed from our communities. We thank the concerned citizen who made the call and encourage the public to continue speaking up when something doesn’t seem right,” said Sheriff Wright.
Deputy Sgt. C. Crow made the arrest.
