In the quiet of a Mother's Day morning, on May 12, 2024, tragedy struck the community of Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Seventeen-year-old Trenarius Dixon, a Black/African American male just days away from his high school graduation, was found deceased. He and his classmate, 17-year-old La'Shayia Stewart, were discovered inside a vehicle on the southbound side of Interstate 55, near the Gallman exit in Copiah County.
Both teenagers were students at Hazlehurst High School, and the promise of their futures was abruptly extinguished.
The initial discovery sent shockwaves through the close-knit community. Law enforcement arrived to find a scene that spoke of violence; the car windows were riddled with multiple bullet holes. Both Trenarius and La'Shayia had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, has taken the lead on the ensuing homicide investigation. As of the latest available information, no arrests have been made in connection with the double homicide, and authorities have not publicly identified any suspects. The investigation remains active and ongoing as they piece together the events that led to the untimely deaths of the two teenagers.
The loss of Trenarius and La'Shayia has left a profound void in the Hazlehurst community. In the days that followed, family, friends, and neighbors gathered for a candlelight vigil and balloon release outside the Copiah County Courthouse to honor their memories and collectively call for justice. The grief was palpable as those who knew the young couple shared stories and offered support to their bereaved families. Funeral services for Trenarius were held on May 25, 2024, at his own high school, a poignant reminder of the life that was cut short just as it was about to begin a new chapter.
