Stoney Mathis was 28 and a Wright, Florida resident when he was found dead on a wooded traffic island in front of his home on June 7, 2021. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of shots fired on Bennett’s End near Willow Bend Boulevard around 2 p.m. that day.

Witnesses reported two vehicles in the area before the shooting: a light silver/gray Kia Soul with two Black men inside and a dark gray sedan. Investigators announced they were seeking Aaron Dwayne Dawson for questioning in connection with Mathis’s murder and have offered a reward of up to $8,000 through the Florida Sheriff’s Association Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program and Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers for information leading to identification and apprehension of the shooter or shooters. No arrests have been reported and the investigation remains active.

If anyone saw activity on Bennett’s End or has information about the two vehicles or the people involved, please contact the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.