Teen Murders Mother's Fiancé Hours After Graduating From High School

A Mississippi teenager has been accused of shooting his mother's fiance to death just hours after he graduated from high school on Saturday, May 21.

Officers from Lowndes County Sheriff's office reportedly arrived at a residence on Richard’s Lane in Caledonia, Mississippi, some 15 miles north-northwest of Columbus, after they received a call regarding “a disturbance where a subject was shot.”

When they reached the address, they found 33-year-old Dustin Hoffpauir dead from a gunshot wound. An autopsy on Hoffpauir's body is slated to be performed by the State Medical Examiner’s Office, Law & Crime reported.

Following the killing, 18-year-old Justin Robert Coggins, son of Hoffpauir's partner, has stood accused of murder in connection with the incident. According to Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins, the shooting occurred during a domestic dispute. However, the exact chain of events has not been made public. Similarly, law enforcement officers have not revealed the defendant's motive behind the alleged shooting.

“We don’t know exactly what happened,” Hawkins said. He added that it remains unclear whether the shooting could have been in self-defense. “Nobody is talking to us right now, not the mother or the suspect. They both asked for an attorney, and we’re waiting for the attorney to arrive this morning.”

Hoffpauir, who hailed from Hancock, Mississippi, lived in Columbus and owned and founded an HVAC company called Stella Air, LLC. He became engaged to the defendant’s mother in November 2021, WCBI News reported.

Hoffpauir can be seen in Facebook photos at Coggins’ graduation. After Hoffpauir's tragic death, numerous tributes to him have since been posted on social media.

“I love you lil brother,” the deceased’s brother, Ryan Ladner, wrote.

Some others remembered Hoffpauir as a terrific baseball player.

“Life is too short for some,” one friend wrote on Facebook. “Literally was sitting yesterday talking about how hard of hitter and ball player you were man! Rest Easy Dustin Hoffpauir.”

He was also remembered fondly by his teachers.

“Such an amazing person gone way too soon,” another friend wrote. “My heart hurts for the family and my mind instantly goes to old memories.”

Coggins is currently being detained in the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center with his bond set at $250,000.