Teen victims found dead on side of interstate identified as Mississippi high school students. One was just days away from graduation.
Published 5:13 pm Monday, May 13, 2024
The bodies of two teenage victims found on the side of the Mississippi interstate have been identified.
The Brookhaven Daily Leader reports that Trenarius Dixon, 17, and La’Shayia Stewart, 17, both students at Hazlehurst High School, have been identified as the victims were found on the southbound side of I-55 near the Gallman exit early Sunday morning.
The interstate was temporarily closed following the discovery, but it was reopened to traffic at 6:30 a.m. Multiple bullet holes were found in the windows of a car believed to be connected to the incident, according to reports.
Copiah County Sheriff Byron Swilley confirmed the identities of the victims, revealing that Dixon was a senior just days away from graduation. The news has sent shockwaves through the Hazlehurst community, where both teens were well-known and loved.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, with support from the Mississippi Highway Patrol, is leading the investigation into the shooting, as confirmed by Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin. As of now, no arrests have been made.