In the late morning of September 8, 2018, a dispute that had been simmering between a husband and wife erupted into a fatal encounter in the parking lot of an Alexandria, Louisiana, Walmart. Thomas Coutee Jr., a 30-year-old male, was shot and killed during what was supposed to be a custody exchange for his and his estranged wife's two-year-old daughter. The exchange tragically occurred on the little girl's birthday.
The couple, who had been married for almost four years, had separated in February 2018 and were in the midst of a contentious divorce and custody battle over their young daughter. Just days before the fatal meeting, Coutee had filed a motion for a new trial concerning a recent joint custody ruling, alleging a history of domestic abuse by his wife.
On that Saturday morning, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Kayla Jean Giles, then 31, met Coutee in the bustling parking lot. The couple's daughter and Giles's two other children were present in her vehicle when she fired a single shot that struck Coutee in the chest. Despite attempts by first responders to revive him, Thomas Coutee Jr. died at the scene.
Kayla Giles was immediately taken into custody and was subsequently charged with second-degree murder. In the ensuing legal proceedings, Giles claimed she acted in self-defense, asserting that Coutee had lunged into her vehicle. However, prosecutors argued that the shooting was not a justifiable act. During the trial, Giles's oldest daughter testified that she did not witness Coutee lunge at the car.
Ultimately, a jury in Rapides Parish rejected her claim of self-defense, and on her 35th birthday, Kayla Giles was found guilty of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice. The second-degree murder conviction carried a mandatory life sentence in prison, while the obstruction of justice charge could add up to 40 years. Following the verdict, Coutee's mother expressed that her son had received the justice he deserved.
