Suspect Charged with 'Unlawful Disposal' of Nathan Millard's Body

Nathan Miller, a father of five, is believed to have overdosed on the drug "blue magic"

Nathan Millard. Photo: Baton Rouge Police Department/Facebook

Authorities in Louisiana have charged a man with the "Unlawful Disposal" of Nathan Millard's body.

The Georgia dad-of-five, 42, vanished after a night out at a local bar while on a business trip in Baton Rouge on Feb. 23. His body was found two weeks later on March 6 in a vacant lot, rolled up in a carpet and wrapped in plastic.

Baton Rouge Police Department said in a statement that they arrested Derrick Perkins, 45, on Tuesday in connection with the disposal of Millard's body. Perkins' charges do not relate to the death of the father-of-five, who police believe may have accidentally overdosed on the drug "blue magic."

Perkins was charged with "Unlawful Disposal of Remains, Obstruction of Justice, Simple Criminal Damage to Property and Failure to Seek Assistance," the police stated in the release.

He was arrested on March 13 over an alleged probation violation alongside "Criminal Damage to Property, 3 counts of Access Device Fraud, and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle," Baton Rouge police added.

Derrick Perkins. Baton Rouge Police Department

According to arrest documents cited by local outlet WBRZ, Perkins is accused of wrapping Millard's body in carpet and plastic and leaving it in the trunk of his car, where it was left for up to four days before the "odor got too bad." He is accused of using his Toyota sedan to transport the body to an empty lot on the 2900 block of the Scenic Highway.

Louisiana authorities said a Coroner's report had shown no signs of trauma and they were waiting for toxicology results, but that they believed Millard suffered an accidental overdose.

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The 42-year-old Covington man disappeared in the early hours of Feb. 23 after visiting Happy's Irish Pub on Third Street in downtown Baton Rouge, according to a Facebook post from Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit organization that had been assisting law enforcement in the search.

His wife, Amber Millard, told WSB-TV that her husband vanished on what was supposed to be a brief business trip with a client for his company Advanced Construction, which is based in Conyers, Ga. They had been at a college basketball game together earlier that day.

Police documents cited by local news outlet BRProud allege that after leaving the bar, Millard was seen by witnesses at a nearby bus station and told an employee he was "looking for something to make me feel better." Investigators believe he met up with Perkins, an alleged drug dealer who goes by the street name "Stanka," the outlet reported.

Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr told outlet WAFB that Millard and Perkins drove to a house in South Baton Rouge, where police believe the father overdosed on a drug known as "blue magic."

"Blue magic, but it had some form of fentanyl in it. So, we believe the fentanyl was administered or the partaking in the drug activity. There is some mention of possibly giving some Narcan," McKneely told the outlet.

A police spokesman quoted by WBRZ said the torched shell of Perkins' car was found last week and a K9 detected "human decomposition" in the trunk. Police allegedly found a roll of plastic sheeting, which was consistent with the material used to wrap the body, at the home where Millard is believed to have overdosed.

The Baton Rouge Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for information.