UPDATE: Saucier man arrested in case involving man found near Grace Temple Baptist Church

Logan Delena

A Saucier man is one of eight people arrested in Gonzales, Louisiana, on Thursday night in an investigation that came to light yesterday afternoon at Grace Temple Baptist Church.

Gonzales Police arrested 27-year-old Logan Allan Delena in a multi-agency investigation into the kidnapping and shooting of a law enforcement officer in Vicksburg, who was found bound and bleeding Thursday morning in the woods next to Grace Temple Baptist Church on Old Highway 49 in Gulfport.

Delena also was arrested twice in Harrison County, the most recent in September 2022, on charges of burglary and possession and sale of stolen firearms.

Delena is in the Ascension Parish jail on charges of three counts of a fugitive from another jurisdiction, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal carrying of a weapon, manufacture, distribution of possession of a scheduled narcotic with intent to distribute, aggravated flight from an officer, illegal possession of stolen items, and seven counts of illegal possession of stolen firearms.  He is being held without bond.

Officers responded to the church about 2:14 a.m. Thursday in reference to suspicious activity. They found a vehicle that was reported stolen by Vicksburg Police.

While investigating the stolen vehicle, officers were approached by a man identified as Delena, who later fled. Gulfport learned the stolen vehicle was involved in a suspicious missing person case in Vicksburg.

Just before noon, officers were continuing their investigation, searching for other stolen items in a wooded area near the church when they found a victim, bound and suffering from gunshot wounds. Gonzales Police said the Vicksburg man was a law enforcement officer who was shot during a home invasion. He was taken to a local hospital in stable condition. He has been identified as Mike Ouzts, a former Warren County Sheriff’s deputy.

Gulfport Police said with the cooperation of Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Vicksburg Police and Gonzales, Louisiana Police, suspects were located in Gonzales, where they face charges resulting from the apprehension before they are extradited back to Mississippi to face multiple felony charges in Vicksburg.

This was a multi-state investigation and we would like to thank the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Vicksburg Police Department, and Gonzales Police for their combined efforts, as well as the citizen who saw something strange and contacted the police.

The other suspects arrested are: