In a tragic turn of events that sent shockwaves through the Lafayette community, 46-year-old Elizabeth Merritt Palmer Reames was found deceased in her apartment on South College Road on Friday, April 12, 2024. A female, Reames was the victim of a triple homicide, discovered alongside two male friends, 45-year-old Brandon Touchet and 49-year-old Eric Green, both also of Lafayette.
The grim discovery was made late that afternoon after family members of Touchet requested a welfare check, concerned after not hearing from him for several days.
Upon entering the residence, law enforcement officers found all three individuals had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. The investigation into the disturbing scene quickly pointed towards a mutual acquaintance of the victims. Authorities identified 42-year-old Chad Credeur of Duson as a suspect in the killings. In a significant break in the case, Credeur was apprehended in the neighboring Jeff Davis Parish on unrelated charges. At the time of his arrest, he was found to be in possession of identification and other personal items belonging to all three victims, directly linking him to the scene of the crime.
As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that Credeur and the three victims were all known to each other. While a definitive motive for the murders has not been publicly released, the Lafayette Police Department has continued to piece together the events that led to the fatal encounter. Credeur was subsequently charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Following his arrest, legal proceedings against him commenced. He was found competent to stand trial, which has been scheduled to take place in the fall. The prosecution has indicated that they will not be seeking the death penalty in this case.
