Dismembered body identified by DNA from foot found years later, officials say

ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - A man whose body was found dismembered in Louisiana in 2016 has been identified after DNA samples linked him to a foot found years later in 2019.

In July 2016, deputies found a badly decomposed body in St. Tammany Parish, WVUE reported. Officials said both of the victim’s arms were severed as well as one of his legs below the knee.

An autopsy determined the man died from blunt force trauma to the head, officials said.

In April 2019, detectives in Biloxi found a human foot in a bucket on the property of Phillip Pointer, who had recently died.

Using DNA samples from the foot, authorities were able to connect it to the dismembered body.

Detectives said they were then able to locate a relative of the victim and obtain a DNA sample. The two DNA samples were compared, and officials were able to identify the victim as Kleanthis Konstantinidis.

St. Tammany detectives named Pointer as the primary suspect in Konstantidnidis’ death.

The investigation is ongoing as detectives work to determine where Konstantinidis was killed before his body was dumped.

Sheriff Randy Smith thanked the investigators from his department for their efforts to solve the complicated case and identify the victim.

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