In the quiet community of Moss Point, Mississippi, a young man's promising future was tragically cut short. Caleb Gabriel Lett, an 18-year-old male, was killed on the evening of January 18, 2021. A recent graduate of Moss Point High School, where he had been named 'Mr. Moss Point High' in 2020, Caleb was in his second semester at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Known for being a smart student and a devoted member of his church, his life was violently taken during what authorities believe was an armed robbery.
The incident unfolded near Woodlawn Avenue, where police responded to a shooting at 8:22 p.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered Caleb in his parked car, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of ambulance services, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators determined that Caleb was shot after he fought back against an assailant who was attempting to rob him. Surveillance footage captured the suspect approaching the vehicle, pointing a gun, and opening the car door before demanding money. When Caleb resisted, he was shot as he exited his car.
The investigation quickly led to a suspect, 15-year-old Korey Cameron Monroe, also of Moss Point. An arrest warrant for capital murder was issued, and Monroe was taken into custody following a traffic stop the very next day. Despite his age at the time of the crime, Monroe was prosecuted as an adult. The case drew significant attention to the issue of youth gun violence in the coastal Mississippi community, prompting the then-mayor to implement a temporary curfew for minors.
In July 2024, Korey Monroe pleaded guilty to the murder of Caleb Lett. The following month, he was sentenced to the maximum possible term of 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole, a sentence reflective of his age at the time of the offense. The resolution of the legal proceedings brought a measure of accountability for a senseless act of violence that stole the life of a young man with a bright future.
