Bossier man accused of killing, dismembering business associate: ‘P.S., I’m not crazy’

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    BENTON, Louisiana (KTBS) — A Bossier City man accused of killing and dismembering the body of a business associate says he’s not crazy and plans to expose what he calls corrupt parish officials.

Additionally, John Hardy identifies a man that he accuses of the murder.

The accusations are in two handwritten letters Hardy mailed to Bossier District Judge Parker Self. Both were filed in the court minutes of Hardy’s case.

Hardy, 47, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Garrett Wilson, 48, who was reported missing in January 2020. His dismembered and burned remains were found a month later on a private hunting lease near the Rocky Mount community in north Bossier Parish. His skull was found months later in shallow water under the Highway 160 bridge.

Hardy has pleaded not guilty. Several trial dates have been set but continued.

The latest delay in his trial came in August when a judge ordered an evaluation of Hardy’s mental condition. The judge appointed two psychologists to a sanity commission and ordered their findings to be reported earlier this month.

A hearing was set for Oct. 9, but the reports were not filed. So, Hardy’s attorney, Dhu Thompson, asked the court for a continuance until Nov. 20. It’s uncertain how that will affect the Jan. 8 trial date.

Thompson said the reason he wanted Hardy evaluated was not to determine his sanity at the time of the alleged homicide. He contends Hardy lacks the mental capacity required by law to proceed with his trial.

In his first letter to Judge Parker Self on Oct. 20, Hardy said he was in the process of getting federal agents involved in his case. He had hoped to have the trial over within a year and identified two men who have since died who would have vouched for him in court.

Hardy identified the man he called the “gun man” and his assistant as the “one’s responsible for this nightmare.” He alleges a gun found in Wilson’s truck wasn’t sent to the crime lab.

Hardy claims a “witness” in his dorm said authorities know the other man killed Wilson. He also said he was “photoshopped” by a detective while on his four-wheeler – an apparent reference to deer cameras that reportedly captured Hardy at the crime scene.

“Now your honor, no disrespect but if I need to subpoena you and the whole damn DA office I will, in reference to this trial,” Hardy wrote.

He added: “I’m not guilty of these charges and I know that I’m in the right by saying all of this. When you’re innocent you will stand your ground and speak out which is what I’m finally doing. I have nothing to (lose) because I will be killed over all of this so, I’m going to do what is right and tell on everybody in reference to this trial, which includes political figure heads and political friends.”

Hardy tells the judge, “Once everything is explained then you and everybody can connect the dots and the picture will be complete.”

Hardy said he wants to speak at his upcoming hearing.

Three days later, Hardy wrote another letter to Self, asking him to reconsider moving his trial away from this “corrupt” parish. He said his reason is because of a witness the DA’s office plans to call to testify against him.

He identified a woman with whom he said he was having an affair during the “Garrett Wilson episode” and statements she made of charges being “swept under the rug.” That conversation and others, he said, were recorded on his living room camera.

Hardy then went on to complain he’s not been able to meet with his attorney in private because “I’m a problem, after all.” However, Hardy alleges he’s turned in a “handcuff key, 7 machine metal screws and a flat head screw driver here at this ‘so called MAXIMUM’ jail LOL!!”

He mentions the former sheriff and other Bossier Parish homicides and said he refuses to talk to this “damn corrupt (sheriff’s) office” because the man he accuses of killing Wilson has a relative working there.

Hardy said he’s in the process of getting the national news media involved in his case, and he offered to take a polygraph to “provide the truth.” He said he knows that won’t stand up in court, but he continued to blame detectives for “covering up for the gunman.”

Hardy said he explained all this information to the mental health doctors; however, he said they didn’t ask about his mental health. “They were more concerned about my legal affairs,” Hardy said, so he said he was going to report them for not fulfilling their duties.

Hardy also said he’s awaiting spine surgery in November or December, which he said would leave him “bedridden for life.”

He concluded the letter by saying, “P.S., I’m not crazy!! You people want me to be because y’all don’t want this info to get out because it’s the truth and it all revolves around my case. This will make headlines. I’m going to make sure. The end.”

This is not the first time Hardy has written a judge on his case. In August 2021, he wrote to Judge Mike Nerren, telling him he wanted to meet with him because he wanted to expose Bossier Parish politics.

He said then, too, he would take a polygraph test, accused court officials of wrongdoing and said conversations that would help exonerate him were recorded on his living room camera.

Thompson attempted a change of venue for Hardy’s trial in August, but it was denied by Self.

Hardy was arrested a day after Wilson’s remains were found – and days after he also was reported missing by family members. He had withdrawn a large amount of cash from a bank account and bought a van. Machetes, knives and other items were seized from the van.

A license plate reader helped track Hardy and it also put him near the deer lease where Wilson’s remains were found. Additionally, a camera used to track deer on that property appears to capture Hardy standing next to a burn pile. The clothes Wilson was last seen wearing were piled up next to him.

Hardy, who worked as a Bossier City police officer and a Bossier Parish sheriff’s deputy for more than a decade, operated an air-conditioning and heating business. Wilson, who used to own that kind of business, helped Hardy on occasion.

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