Arrest made after body found wrapped in sleeping bag, tarp and covered with tires

Published 4:33 pm Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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BEAUMONT — Bond is set at $950,000 for a man charged in the death of a transient whose decomposed body was found late last month.

A first degree murder warrant was obtained Wednesday for Isaac Daniel Platt, 34, of Beaumont, according to information from Beaumont Police Department. Platt was already in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on unrelated charges and was booked for the additional charge of murder.

Justice of the Peace Ben Collins Sr. signed the arrest warrant and said the case has been filed with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.

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On Oct. 29, Beaumont Police responded to the area of Crockett Street/Avenue C, which is a known camp for transients, in reference to a deceased person call.

Authorities located a decomposed body that was wrapped in a sleeping bag, a tarp and covered with several tires.

The victim was later identified as Johnny Tomlinson, a 65-year-old Beaumont transient, police said.

Tomlinson’s cause of death was ruled as strangulation.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Tomlinson was residing at the area with two other men, one of which was Platt.

An eyewitness told police he saw an argument between Plat and Tomlinson, where Platt accused Tomlinson of stealing his drugs.

The eyewitness left and when he returned he came back that night and went to sleep.

When he woke up he noticed Tomlinson was not there but his bicycle was, the document read. Tomlinson was reportedly never without his bicycle because he had difficulty walking due to a medical issue.

Later, the eyewitness and Platt got into an argument about the witnesses’ dog allegedly eating Platt’s food.

The argument turned physical during which Platt reportedly said, “do you want to end up like Johnny?” while pointing toward the area the body was later found.

Platt was re-interviewed by detectives and reportedly made a statement about the crime and brought detectives to the scene of the crime where the murder weapon and important evidence were located, the document read.