Lerhonda Lulu Carter, 40, was fatally shot in Scott, Louisiana, on the afternoon of December 30, 2025. Officers responded to reports of gunfire around 2:30 p.m. in the 800 block of Delhomme Avenue. Carter was found with gunshot wounds, taken to a local hospital, and later died of her injuries.

Carter was a prominent local entrepreneur who owned Bliss Lounge on Jefferson Street and the French 75 Bar and Lounge on McKinley Street. Her death prompted widespread shock across the Lafayette area, with friends, family, and patrons remembering her as a driven and influential businesswoman.

In the days after the shooting, police arrested James Michael Joseph and charged him with second-degree murder. A second person, Jessie Howard Alfred Jr., was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. Authorities have not disclosed a motive or described the relationship between the suspects and Carter. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.