In a quiet Lake Charles neighborhood, a family argument tragically escalated, leaving a young man dead and his father-in-law facing a murder charge. On the afternoon of Sunday, December 3, 2023, police responded to a call on West McNeese Street to find 33-year-old Raymond Charles Lastrapes in the driveway of a residence, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.
According to investigators, a verbal dispute among family members preceded the shooting.
At some point during the argument, it is alleged that 61-year-old James Alan Mueller retrieved a firearm from inside his home and shot his son-in-law, Lastrapes. Emergency services arrived at the scene, but Lastrapes was pronounced dead.
Following the incident, Lake Charles Police Department detectives launched an investigation. Based on their initial findings, Mueller was taken into custody and subsequently arrested. He has been charged with one count of second-degree murder. A judge set Mueller's bond at $850,000, and he is currently being held at the Calcasieu Correctional Center. The investigation into the circumstances that led to the deadly confrontation is ongoing.
