Ray Charles Fontenot Jr. has pleaded guilty in the 2023 shooting death of his wife, Brittany Fontenot, the Ville Platte Gazette is reporting.
Investigators say Fontenot told them she shot herself; but almost two years later and following an investigation of local, state and federal agencies, Fontenot was arrested. To see our story about that, click here.
Last year, he was indicted. To see our story about that, click here.
And this week, the Gazette reports, Fontenot pleaded guilty to manslaughter and obstruction of justice, and was sent to prison with a 30-year sentence. To read the newspaper's full story with all the details, click here.
Fontenot, 34, was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder for Brittany Fontenot's April 2023 shooting death. At the time, he told investigators that she shot herself in the head - three times.
The Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office began the investigation, but because of all the circumstances they called Louisiana State Police and the FBI for help. After that joint investigation, they arrested Fontenot in March 2025, and he was indicted a couple months later.
