MEDIA RELEASE: SUSPICIOUS DEATH INVESTIGATION
On April 13, 2023, Deputies were dispatched to L'anse Aux Pailles Rd. about an alleged suicide as reported by the deceased's husband. Upon arrival, Deputies were told by the suspect Ray Fontenot, that his wife, Brittney Fontenot had committed suicide by shooting herself three times in the head. The suspect advised that while he was getting ready for work, he could hear what he believed to be a popping noise in the living room area of the residence. When he went to see what caused the noise, he observed the victim having one gunshot wound under her chin. When the suspect approached the victim, she obtained another gun/pistol inside the safe and shot herself a second time in the head.
The suspect further indicated that he and the victim were involved in a struggle inside and outside of the residence. Once they entered the residence again; the victim pointed the gun to her head once more and fired another shot causing her the fatal wound.
During this suspicious death investigation, there was reason to believe that the death was not a suicide. Due to these circumstances, the Criminal Investigation Division requested the assistance of the Louisiana State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. After almost a two-year investigation, Investigators were able to establish enough evidence to obtain an arrest warrant for Ray Fontenot with one count of second-degree murder.
Once the arrest warrant was secured on March 19, 2025, Detectives with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office received information that the suspect was currently in Lafayette Parish. Detectives contacted the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office to inform them that the suspect was located inside their jurisdiction. Deputies with the Lafayette Sheriff's Office took the suspect into custody without incident. He was then transported back to Evangeline Parish where he was charged with one count of second-degree murder. He is currently being held with a 2-million-dollar bond. The investigation is still ongoing and Sheriff Charles Guillory would like to thank all outside agencies assisting with the investigation.
Ray Charles Fontenot Jr.
B/M DOB 10/07/1991
L'anse Aux Pailles Rd. Chataignier, La.
As always, Sheriff Charles R. Guillory and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office is seeking information on criminal activity and urges the public to contact their Investigation Department via phone at 337-363-2161 or through the agency's website at www.evangelineparishsheriff.org. Any person reporting information will remain anonymous. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.
