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A son of Paul E. Lutes, Sr., (1908-1984) and the former Clara Sheets (1905-1997), he enlisted in the [[United States Army]] and served in an engineering battalion in the [[Korean War]]. Thereafter, he attended the [[Baptist]]-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] and then earned law degrees from both Loyola University in [[New Orleans]] and the [[University of Mississippi]] at Oxford. In addition to his Colfax law practice, he owned and operated Lutesville Sand and Gravel Company,. which makes asphalt and ready-mix concrete for the construction industry.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lutes&GSfn=Billy&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=23593336&df=all&|title=Billy Gene Lutes|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref>

A son of Paul E. Lutes, Sr., (1908-1984) and the former Clara Sheets (1905-1997), he enlisted in the [[United States Army]] and served in an engineering battalion in the [[Korean War]]. Thereafter, he attended the [[Baptist]]-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] and then earned law degrees from both Loyola University in [[New Orleans]] and the [[University of Mississippi]] at Oxford. In addition to his Colfax law practice, he owned and operated Lutesville Sand and Gravel Company,. which makes asphalt and ready-mix concrete for the construction industry.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lutes&GSfn=Billy&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=23593336&df=all&|title=Billy Gene Lutes|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref>

    

    

After two six-year terms as the Grant Parish district attorney, Lutes, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], was elected to the district court. He served on the boards of the  Alexandria Country Day School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, and of the Kisatchie Delta Law Enforcement agency. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and a Shriner. He was an Eagle Scout and past den leader of the Attakapas Council of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] at Alexandria Country Day School. He was a board member of St. Philip's [[Episcopalian|Episcopal Church]] in Boyce in northwestern Rapides Parish.<ref name=obit/>

Lutes resigned as district attorney on November 15, 1980, and was succeeded by his law partner, Joe Beck, II. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Lutes was subsequently elected to the district court. He served on the boards of the  Alexandria Country Day School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, and of the Kisatchie Delta Law Enforcement agency. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and a Shriner. He was an Eagle Scout and past den leader of the Attakapas Council of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] at Alexandria Country Day School. He was a board member of St. Philip's [[Episcopalian|Episcopal Church]] in Boyce in northwestern Rapides Parish.<ref name=obit/>

In 1960, Lutes married the former Virginia Lee Marler (1935-2017), daughter of James Everett Marler, I (died 1979), and the former Wilma Bunch (1906-1995). The Luteses and Marlers are interred at Colfax Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=virginia-lee-marler-lutes&pid=186639369|title=Virginia Lee Marler Lutes|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref>   

In 1960, Lutes married the former Virginia Lee Marler (1935-2017), daughter of James Everett Marler, I (died 1979), and the former Wilma Bunch (1906-1995). The Luteses and Marlers are interred at Colfax Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=virginia-lee-marler-lutes&pid=186639369|title=Virginia Lee Marler Lutes|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref>