On July 3, 2024, 81-year-old Marine veteran and CLECO retiree Carley Stokes and his 75-year-old wife, Beverly Ann Stokes, were fatally shot in their Mount Hermon, Louisiana, home. Carley Stokes was pronounced dead at the scene; Beverly Ann Stokes, a retired licensed practical nurse and his wife of 57 years, was taken to a local hospital and died shortly after arrival.

Police allege the couple’s 23-year-old grandson, Colby Stokes, also of Washington Parish, walked to a neighbor’s house after the shooting and confessed. The neighbor called 911; deputies found the couple with gunshot wounds and arrested Colby Stokes at the scene. Authorities say Colby Stokes had prior mental health struggles and problems with drug and alcohol use, plus prior contact with law enforcement, including a 2018 burglary arrest. The investigation into motive is ongoing.

If anyone has relevant information about the family, the events of July 3, or the days leading up to the killings, please come forward.