JASPER COUNTY, MS – Authorities are investigating the tragic death of a 17-year-old boy found on a roadside in Mississippi, allegedly at the hands of his uncle, who has a “significant criminal history.”
Victor Carver III, 37, has been charged with manslaughter following the discovery of Caden Cantrelle’s body. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) had granted Carver permission for temporary custody of his nephew, with the stipulation that they remain in Tennessee.
Concerns arose when Cantrelle did not return by the agreed time. DCS contacted his father, who traced his son’s phone to Mississippi, prompting Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson to initiate an investigation.
Jasper County, located around 250 miles from the Tennessee border, became the focus of the search after the phone last pinged there. Johnson rallied his deputies to County Road 39, where they found Cantrelle’s body in a gully.
Authorities immediately suspected foul play. Working with Tennessee’s Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, they secured an arrest warrant for Carver, who was found asleep at home. Despite discovering his vehicle at the residence, Carver had made no effort to inform authorities about his nephew’s disappearance.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Carver and Cantrelle traveled to Louisiana to visit relatives. On their return journey, an argument allegedly broke out. Carver claimed he left Cantrelle by the roadside but denied any harm.
Evidence collected by officials suggests otherwise, and there is potential for an upgrade in the charges. Carver, with a criminal history spanning nearly two decades in Tennessee, awaits extradition to Mississippi.
The situation has raised questions about DCS’s decision to entrust Cantrelle to Carver. Stacie Odeneal, Cantrelle’s court-appointed guardian, expressed shock over this decision, citing Carver’s criminal past as a clear warning sign.
“If the history had been known, many of us would have opposed this arrangement,” Odeneal noted, emphasizing her concerns about systemic failures.
Tennessee DCS has expressed sorrow over Cantrelle’s death, stating that they are fully cooperating with law enforcement. Key employees are currently on leave while procedures and policies are being reviewed.