In the summer of 2016, the life of 23-year-old Ashley Nichole Metz was tragically cut short in a brutal act of violence that stunned the community of Lafayette, Louisiana. On June 21, 2016, Metz's body was discovered inside a vehicle that had been set ablaze in Scott, Louisiana. The grim discovery was made in conjunction with a similar scene in nearby Carencro, where the body of her 22-year-old boyfriend, Brouklynn Walter Hill, was found in another burned vehicle.
Investigators determined that both victims had been shot before their cars were set on fire.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to two suspects: 32-year-old Joshua Willis and 19-year-old Joseph Sylvester, both from Lafayette. The two men were subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Metz and Hill. Following their arrest, both Willis and Sylvester were booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center and were held without bond. A grand jury later indicted both men on the two counts of first-degree murder.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Joseph Sylvester entered into a plea agreement and agreed to testify against his co-defendant, Joshua Willis. Willis's trial concluded with a conviction for the murders of both Ashley Metz and Brouklynn Hill. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole or probation. Throughout the ordeal, Ashley Metz's mother, Carla Dean, was a vocal advocate for justice for her daughter, expressing her determination to see those responsible held accountable for their actions.
