A domestic dispute in Hattiesburg ended with 20-year-old Joel Scott Graves dead on August 16, 2018, at the Breckenridge Apartments. Officers found Joel Chad Graves, then 45, outside the apartment with blood on his hands and head; Scott was inside, deceased from a shotgun wound to the throat.

Initial statements by Joel Chad Graves said the shotgun discharged accidentally during a struggle with his son, but scene evidence raised contradictions. Shotgun pellets were found in the baseboard and blood pooled beneath Scott’s body, suggesting he was lying on the floor when shot. Scott’s mother provided reports of prior domestic violence by Chad Graves.

Two weeks later Joel Chad Graves was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. If anyone knew Scott or has information about the events at Breckenridge Apartments, please come forward.