Police in New Iberia, Louisiana are investigating the death of an Arby’s restaurant manager whose body was discovered in the restaurant’s walk-in freezer.
The body was discovered Thursday evening around 6:30 p.m. by an employee of the restaurant.
“So it was an employee that discovered the female deceased inside the cooler, [and] the deceased is an employee of the restaurant,” said New Iberia Police Captain Leland Laseter, the head of criminal investigations, in an interview with KADN News 15.
Laseter said that while the death appeared “suspicious” at first, there was no evidence of “foul play” uncovered thus far. He added that the department was waiting for medical examiners to determine the cause of death.
“We’re going to re-examine all the evidence tomorrow and they’re going to conduct an autopsy to give us the cause and manner of death. So there are a few more steps that we need to take before a [final] determination is made,” he said.
The woman’s name has not been released.
In response to the news, Arby’s released a statement saying that it was cooperating with police and deferring any comment to investigators.
“We are aware of the incident that took place at our franchised location in New Iberia, LA,” the statement said. “The franchisee is cooperating fully with local authorities as they conduct their investigation. Due to this being an active investigation, we defer any further comment to the police department.”
New Iberia, a city of around 28,000, is located in the southern portion of the state, not far from Lafayette.
This incident is not the first time an Arby’s location has been the subject of police scrutiny. Last year, an Arby’s in Washington was investigated by police after videos surfaced of a night manager urinating in milkshake mix. The man was also suspected of obtaining and distributing child pornography.
As the investigation into the death of the Arby’s manager in New Iberia continues, police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
“We are actively investigating this case and any information that could help us solve this tragedy is appreciated,” said Laseter. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased during this difficult time.”