Two charged with murder after Natchez Teacher of the Year killed in La.

NATCHEZ, Miss. (WLBT) - According to Gray station KNOE, authorities in Concordia Parish, Louisiana are investigating the murder of a man recently named Teacher of the Year. The sheriff’s office said the incident happened on June 23 in the Ferriday area in northeast Louisiana.

According to investigators, on the night of the murder Frederick McCray Jr. gave a ride to the two suspects. McCray drove the suspects to a location around Bayou Drive in Ferriday, where the suspects pulled out a gun and shot him. The suspects then drove the body to an old food plant, where they hid it under plywood and garbage.

The suspects are identified as Jimmy O’Neal Lewis and Cedric Tennessee. Authorities say they have given full confessions and are both charged with murder.

According to authorities, McCray was a teacher in Natchez with two degrees.

The Natchez-Adams School District said he taught 8th grade at Morgantown Middle School. He was also named 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year.

The Natchez-Adams School District released the following statement:

“Mr. McCray dutifully taught Technology Foundations and also served as Assistant Test Coordinator. In his first year of teaching at Morgantown, Mr. McCray was named the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. Mr. McCray’s zeal for education, infectious smile, gentle personality, fashion sense, and love for children will be missed by all of us at Natchez-Adams School District. Our sincere condolences are offered to his family, friends, and coworkers.”