Gerardette Burke, a 53-year-old woman from Lafayette, Louisiana, tragically lost her life on a Monday morning in what appears to be a random act of violence. On September 29, 2025, Burke was at a motel on the Northeast Evangeline Thruway when she was struck by gunfire. She was not the intended target of the shooting but was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
Burke was quickly transported to a local hospital for her injuries but unfortunately succumbed to them.
The incident unfolded at approximately 6:36 a.m. when a man began shooting at another male individual in the vicinity of the motel. During this altercation, Gerardette Burke was hit by a stray bullet. The intended male victim of the shooting was also injured and hospitalized but was reported to be in stable condition.
Following the shooting, the Lafayette Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Task Force and the Special Investigations Unit, launched an investigation that quickly led to a suspect. Challis Prejean, a 23-year-old resident of Lafayette, was identified as the alleged shooter. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.
Prejean is facing serious charges for his alleged role in the shooting. The charges brought against him include first-degree murder for the death of Gerardette Burke, attempted first-degree murder for the targeting of the male victim, illegal discharge of a weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is currently being held without bond as the legal process moves forward.
