Dalana Charlot, 41, a warm and generous woman known to friends and family in Lafayette Parish, was found dead in her Carencro driveway late Wednesday night. Deputies say her estranged boyfriend, 33‑year‑old Raylon Wiltz, shot her before turning the gun on himself. Charlot died at the scene and Wiltz later died at a hospital, leaving a quiet neighborhood reeling.
Neighbors still struggle to grasp what happened on Maggie Lane just after 11 p.m. Deputies who responded found both Charlot and Wiltz with gunshot wounds in the driveway of a modest home. Charlot was pronounced dead there. Wiltz was taken to a local hospital where he later died. Investigators with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office continue to work the case, but early findings point to a murder‑suicide.
Charlot was remembered by those who knew her as someone who carried herself with a bright spirit and a ready smile. People who crossed her path talk about her kindness and her willingness to help others. Friends describe her as a steady presence, someone who lifted others up even as she dealt with her own struggles.
Family members have gathered to try to make sense of the loss. For them, the pain is not just about a tragic act of violence, it’s about the absence of a daughter, sister, and friend whose presence mattered in so many lives. In conversations with neighbors, people repeat the same sentiment: her impact went beyond a street address or a brief headline.
In the wake of Charlot’s death, the community has begun sharing memories of her life. Many speak of her compassion, her laughter, and the small ways she made people feel seen and supported. Those stories are now part of how she will be remembered.
Law enforcement officials have said the investigation is ongoing and that they will release more information as it becomes available. For now, the scene on Maggie Lane remains a stark reminder of how quickly life can change and how grief can ripple outward from a single moment.
As Lafayette Parish processes this loss, family and friends are focused on honoring Charlot’s life, leaning on each other, and searching for answers in a story that feels both senseless and heartbreaking.
