Three brothers arrested over 1999 cold case murder
Hocutt was last seen alive on the morning of Oct. 9, 1999, at a residence in his hometown of Seligman, Missouri
Barry County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested and charged three brothers on Friday, July 24, 2026, in connection with the 1999 cold case murder of a 14-year-old boy in southwestern Missouri. Barry County Sheriff Danny Boyd announced via a press release that officials charged Mark Wesley Scott, Bobby Ray Scott, and David Ray Scott with the first-degree murder of Justin Hocutt.
KSNF reported that the three suspects are brothers facing charges following a renewed investigation into the decades-old crime. Hocutt was last seen alive on the morning of Oct. 9, 1999, at a residence in his hometown of Seligman, Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Search teams discovered the teenager's body the following morning on train tracks located near his home.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced in May that investigators reopened the cold case murder after receiving several credible leads. Forensic specialists subsequently resubmitted physical evidence to the agency's Crime Laboratory for advanced testing. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Bradley Germann stated in a May press release that substantial evidence made the death suspicious, noting that state officers assisted the Barry County Sheriff's Office following a formal support request.
Germann urged community members with details to contact investigators, emphasising that the victim's family deserved answers. Relatives of the victim expressed relief following news of the arrests. Hocutt's aunt, Tammy Tolbert, told news outlet KY3 that the family had waited 27 years for justice and encouraged other families dealing with cold cases never to give up hope.
Authorities have not disclosed whether the three brothers knew Hocutt before the killing. One suspect remains in custody in Barry County, whilst law enforcement officers hold the other two brothers in custody out of state. The Barry County Sheriff's Office scheduled a formal news conference regarding the murder case for July 28, at 10 a.m. local time.