Donald Carlton, a 66-year-old White man, was a beloved father and a caring figure to those who knew him in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Described by his daughter as a dad who was "missed beyond words," he was also remembered by a cousin as someone who had taken him in when he was younger.
On the afternoon of Friday, August 14, 2020, Carlton's life was cut short by violence. Around 1:00 p.m., police responded to reports of gunfire in the 5200 block of Greenwell Street.
They discovered Carlton inside his vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries later that day.
The Baton Rouge Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives determined that Carlton had been shot during an attempted robbery. With assistance from the Louisiana State Police, investigators worked quickly to identify those responsible. Their efforts led them to two suspects, one of whom reportedly lived near the corner where Carlton was found.
Less than a week after the shooting, on August 19, 2020, authorities announced two arrests. Derrick Holmes, 20, and Lashanta Williams, 18, were taken into custody and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Holmes was charged with first-degree murder, while Williams was charged as a principal to first-degree murder. The case proceeded through the legal system for several years, leading to a significant development in September 2024, when one of the defendants pleaded guilty in connection with Donald Carlton's death.
