On Tuesday, police say one man shot another during a child custody exchange. The shooting victim died.
The accused, Anthony Drailun, 23, has a record of alleged domestic abuse and non-payment of child support, and in addition to being booked with second-degree murder he was booked on fugitive and bench warrants for failure to appear for court, records show.
The court record shows he's been allowed to plead no contest to multiple reduced charges in domestic violence cases involving four different victims. Court records show he was accused of breaking one woman's door and door frame to enter her home twice; accused of beating other women in front of children; and of threatening another woman with a gun.
The longest sentence he ever received was two days in the parish jail. In all of the cases in which he pleaded no contest to reduced charges,
Judge Royale Colbert was his judge. Colbert gave him sentences of two days in jail once, and one day in jail twice.
Colbert is the judge who was suspended for six months by the state Supreme Court and ordered to attend anger management classes. To read about that, click here.
One case, the one in which Anthony was accused of threatening a woman with a gun, was dismissed at her request.
Anthony is accused of Tuesday's fatal shooting of Thomas George, 25. The shooting happened at an apartment complex during a child custody exchange, police say. Lafayette Police tell us that both Anthony and George had an interest in the child's custody but weren't able to comment further because of the pending investigation.
Lafayette Police also wanted to remind everyone that they - and many other agencies - have safe exchange zones that folks can use for child custody exchanges, online sales meet-ups, etc. A couple months ago we did a story about these safe zones, including a list of some of the zones located in Acadiana. You can see that story here. Also, if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. The national Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. The Louisiana hotline is 1-888-411-1333. You can find numbers for shelters in Louisiana cities and towns on this website.
When he was arrested on Tuesday, Anthony was booked with second-degree murder and on bench and fugitive warrants.
We looked him up in the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court's records and here's what we found:
He has two pending cases, one criminal and one civil.
A bench warrant was issued in April after he failed to appear in court on a charge of battery of a dating partner. In that case, he was charged in May 2024 by a bill of information accusing him of a crime that is alleged to have occurred in May 2022. It involved a female victim and still is pending before Judge Michelle Billeaud.
A non-support case, filed by the state against him in 2022, is pending as well. The court record indicates the sheriff hasn't been able to serve him to appear in court to answer the suit; it's been assigned to the "parent locate officer."
Several cases have been adjudicated.
In November 2023, he was charged via bill of information with domestic abuse battery with child endangerment and simple battery of a second female victim. This incident was alleged to have occurred in September 2023. A bench warrant was issued for him when he failed to appear for his arraignment twice. The District Attorney's Office allowed him to plead "no contest" to a reduced charge of simple battery in January 2025. Colbert sentenced him to two days in the parish jail.
In March 2023, he was charged via bill of information with aggravated assault with a firearm, accused of assaulting a third woman with a handgun. This incident was alleged to have occurred in February 2022. In January 2025, this case was dismissed at the request of the victim.
Also in March 2023, he was charged via bill of information with domestic abuse battery with child endangerment, simple battery and simple criminal damage to property - to the victim's front door and door frame. This was alleged to have happened on July 1, 2022. The victims in this case were a fourth woman and someone identified only as "confidential victim." In January 2025 the District Attorney's Office allowed him to plead "no contest" to two counts of simple battery. Colbert sentenced him to one day in jail.
Again in March 2023, he was charged via a bill of information with unauthorized entry of a home, simple criminal damage to property and resisting an officer. This incident is alleged to have happened on July 19, 2022 and involved the fourth woman again, and it again involved damage to her front door and door frame. In January 2025 the District Attorney's Office allowed him to plead "no contest" to a reduced charge of criminal trespassing and Colbert sentenced him to one day in jail.
