A 17-year-old Mississippi handyman accused of murdering an elderly couple who hired him was already a suspect in multiple burglaries and car thefts, according to authorities.
Cordarius Hobbs was well-known to Simpson County law enforcement before his arrest in the June 3 slayings of Billy Blair, 74, and Virginia Carol Blair, 71, at their Mendenhall home. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation stated that deputies and investigators believed Hobbs was a "troubled juvenile" suspected of numerous other home burglaries and auto thefts in the immediate area.
Hobbs had been hired by the Blairs to assist with property maintenance, according to his family. The discovery of the couple's bodies occurred when three contractors arrived to install a generator and found the Blairs' car door open with guns on the seats. They called for a welfare check, and responding officers were met with gunfire.
A nearly two-hour standoff ensued, after which Hobbs reportedly escaped and was subsequently apprehended. Investigators found Virginia Carol Blair in a bedroom with three gunshot wounds to the back of her head. Billy Blair was found in the kitchen, also with three gunshot wounds to his face.
Hobbs faces charges including two counts of capital murder and one count of burglary, along with 10 other charges. His bond has been denied.
Attorneys for Hobbs have raised questions about the evidence, with one noting a lack of direct forensic connection to the shootings. Hobbs' grandfather also expressed disbelief, questioning the motive for robbing an employer and the suspect's actions during the police standoff.
Days after the Blairs' murders, Hobbs' brothers, Cortavious and Cortavion, allegedly attempted to kill a Covington County deputy after a traffic stop escalated to them firing at officers, according to previous reports.