hree brothers have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder nearly 27 years after a 14-year-old Missouri boy was found dead on railroad tracks near his home.
Barry County Sheriff Danny Boyd announced Friday, July 24, that Mark Wesley Scott, Bobby Ray Scott and David Ray Scott had been charged in connection with the 1999 killing of Justin Hocutt.
The three suspects have been identified as brothers.
Justin was last seen alive during the morning of Oct. 9, 1999, at a home in Seligman, a small community in southwestern Missouri near the Arkansas border.
His body was discovered the following day on railroad tracks located near his family’s home, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Earlier reporting on the case indicated that Justin had recently moved to the area from Arkansas. Investigators said an altercation reportedly occurred during the early morning hours at the home of his teenage girlfriend, who lived next door to his family.
Justin’s body was found approximately 22 hours later. A former Barry County sheriff previously said the teenager’s body appeared to have been dragged hundreds of feet along the tracks after the initial impact location.
The case remained unsolved for more than two decades before Barry County authorities assembled a new investigative team to examine it with fresh eyes.
In May 2026, the Missouri State Highway Patrol announced that investigators had officially reopened the case after receiving several credible tips.
Evidence from the original investigation was also resubmitted to the state agency’s crime laboratory for additional testing.
At the time, Sgt. Bradley Germann said there was substantial evidence and suspicious circumstances surrounding Justin’s death.
“We believe there are individuals who know details about the incident and what happened to Hocutt,” Germann said.
“This was likely not an accident, and we ask those individuals who know more about the incident to contact investigators. The Hocutt family deserves to know what happened to their child. I believe this case can be solved with the help from the community.”
Authorities have not publicly revealed what evidence allegedly connects the Scott brothers to Justin’s death.
Officials have also not disclosed whether the suspects knew Justin before he was killed or what motive prosecutors believe may have led to the alleged murder.
Justin’s aunt, Tammy Tolbert, said Sheriff Boyd personally contacted the family to tell them that three arrests had finally been made.
“We went up there yesterday morning and the best news we could have ever hoped for, of course, that they’ve made three arrests of the people that had hurt Justin,” Tolbert told KY3.
She said the family had spent nearly 27 years wondering whether anyone would ever be held responsible.
“The relief — 27 years coming,” Tolbert said. “And thank God for Sheriff Boyd and the people that have been there, because they’ve made a huge difference in our lives.”
Tolbert also urged families waiting for answers in other cold cases not to lose hope.
“You wouldn’t have a day like today if you gave up hope,” she said. “So, yeah, there’s always hope.”
“It doesn’t get any better when they finally told us,” she added. “It’s finally justice for Justin. And that’s all we want.”
Sheriff Boyd said one of the accused brothers was being held in Barry County, while the other two were in custody outside Missouri.
Authorities did not immediately disclose where the out-of-state arrests occurred or when the two suspects would be returned to Barry County.
The sheriff’s office scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, to release additional information about the investigation and arrests.
All three men face allegations of first-degree murder. The charges are accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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