Matthew Carter was a 17-year-old White male from Lafayette, Louisiana, known for his love of sports and for everyone he met. A senior at Comeaux High School, Matthew played both football and soccer; his father was the school's boys' soccer coach. His family remembered him as a wonderful brother, uncle, and son who never met a stranger. His father recalled that Matthew had "this energy and this ability to see the good in people, to look inside people and see their heart."
Ever since getting his learner's permit, Matthew had expressed his wish to be an organ donor.
In the early morning hours of January 18, 2020, an attempted armed robbery turned fatal. Around 2:31 a.m., Lafayette Police found Matthew in his car on North Meyers Drive with a gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he fought for his life for several days. The community rallied around his family, who later expressed their deep gratitude for the outpouring of support. Matthew succumbed to his injuries on January 22, 2020. In a final act of generosity that his family called a "fitting act of love for others," his organs were donated, saving multiple lives and fulfilling a wish he had long held.
The investigation led police to quickly arrest two juvenile suspects, ages 13 and 14. They were initially charged with attempted first-degree murder, but the charges were upgraded to first-degree murder following Matthew's death. The two teenagers also faced charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Due to the suspects' ages, the case proceeded under the Louisiana Children's Code, and details were initially kept confidential. However, information later became public when one of the defendants sought a change to his sentence. The shooter, Rendavian Warren, who was 13 at the time of the crime, had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. He was sentenced to juvenile life, meaning he would remain in custody until his 21st birthday. The outcome for the second suspect has not been publicly released.
As of January 2022, Warren, then 20, was petitioning a judge for an early release, arguing that he should receive credit for the time he spent in juvenile detention prior to his sentencing.
