In the late hours of a Wednesday night in Springfield, Missouri, tragedy struck at the 505 apartments on East Saint Louis Street, cutting short the life of 21-year-old Xavier Scott. On November 12, 2025, police responded to a call of a shooting at the downtown apartment complex around 11:21 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Scott in a fourth-floor apartment with a fatal gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the city's ninth homicide of the year
quickly led to a suspect. Candise Hoskins, a 28-year-old resident of Springfield, was taken into custody in connection with Scott's death. The Greene County Prosecutor's Office filed multiple charges against Hoskins, including second-degree murder armed criminal action, and two counts of first-degree robbery. She is being held in the Greene County Jail without bond.
Further investigation revealed that the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute. Hoskins, who had previously lived at the apartment building, had arranged to meet her ex-girlfriend there to retrieve some of her belongings. Scott had accompanied the ex-girlfriend to the meeting due to past domestic issues between the two women. The planned exchange outside the building escalated when Hoskins gained entry to the apartment. She then allegedly brandished a gun and took both Scott's and her ex-girlfriend's phones. While the ex-girlfriend went to get help, Scott attempted to intervene and disarm Hoskins. A struggle ensued, during which Scott was shot multiple times. Hoskins also sustained a gunshot wound to her leg during the altercation.
