In the quiet neighborhood of Hermitage, Tennessee, the life of 16-year-old Zeppelin Phillips was tragically cut short on the evening of Saturday, August 31, 2024. A junior at Templeton Academy, Zeppelin was known for his creative and academic talents. He was an active member of the yearbook committee and had a deep passion for film studies. His love for music was a significant part of his life, and he also held a job at Wendy's, where his strong work ethic was evident.
On that fateful evening, at approximately 6:30 p.m., neighbors on Hallborough Way reported hearing multiple gunshots. Zeppelin was discovered lying in the roadway near his home with gunshot wounds to his neck and chest. Emergency services rushed him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead. The community was left in shock and mourning over the loss of a promising young life just days before he would have celebrated his 17th birthday.
The investigation into Zeppelin's death quickly led authorities to 18-year-old Raphael Jobehdari. Detectives determined that Phillips had been in communication with Jobehdari about purchasing a firearm and had sent him money for it. The day after the shooting, on September 1, SWAT officers executed a search warrant at Jobehdari's residence on Carl Miller Drive. During the search, three firearms were seized, and the vehicle that Zeppelin had approached just before the shooting was impounded. Jobehdari was subsequently taken into custody and charged with the murder of Zeppelin Phillips.
This was not the first time Raphael Jobehdari had been involved in a fatal shooting in 2024. On January 31, he was part of a drug-related robbery in Bellevue where he and another 18-year-old, Gavin Dauzart, exchanged gunfire. Dauzart was killed in the incident, and Jobehdari sustained injuries to his abdomen and leg. At that time, Jobehdari claimed he had acted in self-defense, and no charges were filed against him in that case. Following his arrest for the murder of Zeppelin Phillips, the community has been left to grapple with the senseless violence that took the life of a beloved son, brother, and friend.
