Three people arrested in 1999 cold case murder of 14-year-old who was found dead on train tracks

Summary by Laredo News Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Christopher Replogle, Akim Powell, KGNS — Sitewide · July 24, 2026 · 1 min read

CASSVILLE, Mo. ( KY3 /Gray News) - Three people were arrested in the 1999 cold case murder of a 14-year-old boy who was found dead on train tracks near his home in Missouri. Sheriff Danny Boyd named Mark Wesley Scott, David Ray Scott, and Bobby Ray Scott as suspects in the death of Justin Hocutt....

Why this matters in Laredo News

The resolution of this cold case in Missouri has implications for Laredo's own approach to investigating and solving long-dormant crimes. While the details of the Justin Hocutt case are specific to the community in which it occurred, the fact that new leads and re-examined evidence led to arrests nearly 23 years later suggests that similar efforts could yield results in Webb County. Local law enforcement may take note of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory's role in re-testing evidence, considering how Laredo's own crime lab resources could be leveraged to revive stalled investigations. As the people of Cassville, Missouri, come to terms with the news of these arrests, Laredo residents may wonder if similar breakthroughs could be on the horizon for unsolved cases in their own community, and what steps local authorities are taking to pursue justice in those matters.

About this story

Original reporting by KGNS — Sitewide. Laredo News surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit KGNS — Sitewide. Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: safety · Published: July 24, 2026 · Source: KGNS — Sitewide · Reading time: 1 min

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This article was first published on July 24, 2026 by KGNS — Sitewide and curated for Laredo News readers.

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This story was reported by Christopher Replogle, Akim Powell at KGNS — Sitewide. To learn more about how Laredo News selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards.

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Summary created by	Laredo News Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Christopher Replogle, Akim Powell, KGNS — Sitewide
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 24, 2026
Indexed here	Jul 24, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

Three people arrested in 1999 cold case murder of 14-year-old who was found dead on train tracks

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