Two men from Calcasieu Parish have been sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with separate manslaughter cases that happened in 2018 in Jeff Davis Parish.

Matthew Clement Markwood, 38, of Lake Charles was sentenced to 20 years at hard labor with credit for time served, after he plead no contest in his role in the shooting death of Victor Paul Martine, 33, of Laccassine in June 2018.

Markwood, who was initially charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice in the deadly shooting, pled no contest to a lesser charge of manslaughter recently in the 31st Judicial District Court. The obstruction of justice charge was dismissed, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Jeff Davis Parish District Attorney’s Office.

Markwood is accused of fatally shooting Martin and trying to hide the body in a wooded area near Melanson Road, just south of Hwy. 90 in Laccassine.

Authorities found Martin’s body behind a log on a dirt road in a wooded area about 200 yards south of his home following an overnight search. Authorities began searching for Martin after members of the family members contacted the sheriff’s office worried about his safety.

Authorities suspect that Martin was killed at his residence and the body was later moved to the woods.

Information received during the investigation led deputies to Markwood’s residence in Lake Charles where items believed to be connected to the homicide were found.

In another case, a Sulphur man was sentenced for killing a man near Topsy nearly two months later.

David Wade Clark, 33, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for manslaughter after pleading guilty to the death of Devin Marc Sanders in August 2018. Clark was initially charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

Sanders was found dead outside his home in the 200 block of Ieyoub Road after a neighbor spotted the body and called the police.

Clark was arrested two days later, following a foot pursuit in Beaumont, Texas.