On a Sunday afternoon in Attala County, Mississippi, the quiet of March 29, 2026, was broken by a string of violent events that left three men dead, including 67-year-old Tim Lawrence of Kosciusko. Authorities were first called to Attala Road 1107 around 1:40 p.m. following a report of a man shot in the roadway. Upon arrival, they discovered Lawrence, who had been fatally wounded.
Investigators at the scene quickly gathered information that led them to identify 41-year-old Chris Hughes, also of Attala County, as a suspect in Lawrence's death. It was reported that Hughes had been picked up and was a passenger in a gray GM truck. As law enforcement began their search for Hughes, a second shooting was reported at approximately 3:20 p.m. on Attala Road 1141, located about four miles from where Lawrence's body was found. At this second location, deputies discovered the wrecked gray GM truck. The driver, 46-year-old Jeffery Mallet Jr. of Attala County, had sustained gunshot wounds and was transported to Baptist Attala Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
With two men dead, a large-scale manhunt for Chris Hughes was initiated, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Kosciusko Police Department and the Mississippi Highway Patrol, which deployed a helicopter and drones to aid in the search. Law enforcement established a perimeter and set up checkpoints in the area to locate Hughes. A warrant was also executed at his residence, but he was not found inside.
The search for Hughes came to an end after deputies responded to reports of more gunfire in the vicinity. Authorities stated that Hughes had attempted to forcibly enter a residence through a back door. The homeowner, in response to the attempted intrusion, fired a weapon, striking Hughes. He was transported to Baptist Attala Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators later revealed that Hughes had recently been terminated from his job and was experiencing issues with his ex-wife, though a definitive motive for the killings has not been released.
