In the winter of 2024, the life of 21-year-old Dakota 'Cody' Joseph Naquin of Slaughter, Louisiana, was tragically cut short. On the morning of Friday, December 6, 2024, the young man was fatally shot at the Palms at Sunset Lakes Apartment Complex on McHugh Road in Zachary. When Zachary Police Department officers arrived at the scene around 10:25 a.m., they found Naquin with a gunshot wound to the head.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of 21-year-old Ryley Windham. Windham, who was present at the apartment during the incident along with others, was taken into custody for questioning and was later charged with manslaughter and illegal use of a weapon. He was subsequently transported to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive or the specific circumstances that led to the shooting.
Dakota's father, Will Naquin, recounted the last time he saw his son, stating that he had dropped him off at home after work. Shortly after, someone Naquin considered a friend picked him up, and just fifteen minutes later, he was gone. The family remembers Dakota for his vibrant and bubbly personality, his love for the outdoors, especially fishing and hunting, and his ability to uplift others with a joke or a hug.
Months prior to his death, in July 2024, Dakota Naquin had been arrested and charged with negligent homicide and reckless operation of a vehicle. These charges stemmed from a head-on collision in November 2023 on Joor Road in Central, which resulted in the death of 50-year-old Charles Lepisto. Police alleged that Naquin was driving at a high rate of speed when his vehicle crossed into the opposite lane. Naquin himself was critically injured in the crash. His father expressed empathy for the Lepisto family and noted that his son had been recovering and regaining his independence since the accident. A funeral service for Dakota was held on December 11, 2024, at the Charlet Funeral Home in Zachary.
