Car passenger dies after being hit ‘unknown number of times’ on small town street

Published 5:30 am Friday, May 3, 2024

One person is dead after a Mississippi small town was rocked by the sound of multiple gunshots.

Telvin Dashawn Matthews, 25, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, was found dead after being hit an “unknown number of times” while sitting in the passenger seat of a car on First West Street in Woodville. The car was found stopped in the street with its engine running.

The Woodville Republican reports that the shooting occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26.

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The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro that Matthews was sitting in was reported stolen in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Officials from the Woodville Police Department report that Letedry Earles, of Woodville, has been identified as a suspect in the case. Earle was being held at the Wilkinson County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder. Earles is also being held at the jail on an earlier aggravated assault charge filed by the Centreville Police Department.

Police say they have recovered a “7.62×39” weapon from the scene that will be sent to the State Crime Lab for analysis. Officials from the Woodville Police Department said the East Baton Rouge ATF Department is also assisting with gun found at the scene.

Police say no motive for the shooting is known at this time but that the case will continue to be under investigation. More arrests are possible, officials said.