A US priest has been found 'burned beyond recognition' in what's now a being looked at as a murder investigation.

Father Otis Young, a retired Catholic priest, who had served at at St Peter Catholic Church Louisiana for 10 years, was found along with another murder victim in downtown Covington, Louisiana, USA.

The St.Tammany Parish Coroner's office confirmed the cause of death is thought to be by a blunt and sharp force trauma.

Authorities have claimed that he was murdered and then his body had been "burned beyond recognition".

A man has been arrested by police and charged with two counts each of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, and obstruction of justice, and one count each of resisting an officer and illegal possession of stolen things.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond from the Archdiocese of New Orleans will officiate a funeral mass in honour of Father Young on Monday.