Father charged with murder in shooting death of son

Published 10:00 am Friday, August 31, 2018

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi man is accused of shooting his 20-year-old son to death.

News outlets report 45-year-old Joel Chad Graves was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder in the slaying of Joel Scott Graves. Hattiesburg police responding to the shooting this month found the younger Graves suffering from a gunshot wound. He died at the scene. Police say the shooting stemmed from a domestic altercation.

Joel Scott Graves’ mother, Jessica Jaramillo, tells the Hattiesburg American her son’s father has a history of domestic violence. She says the elder Graves pinned her down and put a gun in her mouth in 2001, prompting her to end their relationship. She also provided the newspaper with numerous police reports documenting past abuse.

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It’s unclear if Graves has a lawyer to contact for comment.