In the quiet town of Prairieville, Louisiana, a story of love and loss unfolded with a tragic and violent end. On Sunday, August 14, 2016, 31-year-old Lacey LeBlanc, a registered nurse known for her compassionate heart and infectious laugh, was killed. She was not alone in her final moments; her beloved 8-year-old daughter, Brooklynn Paige LeBlanc, was also a victim in the senseless act that claimed both their lives.
The devastating events took place at the home of Shawn Millet, a
37-year-old man with whom Lacey had connected online just six months prior. It was supposed to be a weekend visit for Lacey and her daughter. The three were last seen together on the porch of Millet's Oak Trace Road home on Saturday night. The following day, a neighbor's call to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office reporting a gunshot from inside the residence led to the horrific discovery.
Investigators believe that Millet shot and killed both Lacey and her young daughter before turning the gun on himself. When deputies arrived at the scene, Millet was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The investigation into the double murder-suicide revealed a darker side to the man Lacey had recently met, with authorities discovering a criminal history that included domestic abuse battery and cruelty to juveniles.
The community was left to mourn the loss of a devoted mother and her vibrant daughter. Lacey was remembered as a loving mother, daughter, sister, and aunt who worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Baton Rouge General. Her passion for caring for her patients was said to have overflowed into every aspect of her life. Brooklynn was a second-grade honor student who loved to dance, sing, and create art. As the case was a murder-suicide with the sole suspect deceased, there were no arrests to be made, and the investigation concluded with the grim reality of the events that had transpired.
