People who knew parents of Louisiana woman found rotting in waste left stunned

SLAUGHTER, La. (BRPROUD) — A 36-year-old woman was found dead in January after wasting away on a couch, possibly after years of neglect from her parents. People who knew the family are shocked.

Investigators say Lacey Fletcher was disabled and in the care of her parents, Sheila and Clay Fletcher.

Her father, Clay Fletcher, resigned from his position as president of the Baton Rouge Civil War Roundtable Tuesday. The program director, John Potts, has known Clay for roughly six years and is stunned by the news.

“Shock… ’cause it doesn’t match with my experience of him. He’s completely different than what you would expect of someone like that to be,” Potts said.

Photos of the couch paint a horrific picture of where the young woman lived and died. The piece of furniture, visibly worn away from extensive use, was covered in feces and urine.

“The details are horrific, there is no doubt about that and I can’t conceive of how something like that can even happen,” Potts said.

Neighbors and friends said they never knew the couple had a daughter.

“He mentioned that she passed in January, and that’s all I know of that,” said Potts.

Lacey’s mother, Sheila, is now on administrative leave from her job as an assistant to the city prosecutor in Zachary.

District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla said they haven’t been taken into custody because they’re not considered flight risks and this is not a cut and dry case. He said he is asking a grand jury to bring second-degree murder charges against both parents on Monday.

Potts doesn’t know if Clay will be welcomed back to the group. He said it depends, they are waiting to see if there is a trial and what the verdict will be.

“A wait and see attitude, that’s what the law is for,” said Potts.

Clay and Sheila’s attorney shared the following statement on Wednesday:

“They don’t want to relive the pain of losing a child through the media. They have been through a lot of heartache over the years. Anyone who had lost a child knows what it’s like.”