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Charges dismissed against uncle of Tennessee teen found dead in Mississippi

By Sethanie Smith Jul 15, 2025 | 1:35 PM

JASPER COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT) – Charges have been dismissed against a man who was charged in connection to the death of his nephew in Mississippi.

According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the charges against Victor “Jerry” Carver III, 37, of Collinwood, Tennessee, were dismissed at the request of the District Attorney. Investigators said the autopsy for Caden Cantrelle, 17, could not determine his exact cause of death.

Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson said they were alerted by Child Protective Services in Tennessee in reference to a 17-year-old who had been given a two-day pass to leave the state with his uncle to visit family in Louisiana.

Johnson said Caden Cantrelle had not returned to Tennessee after those two days were up. His phone had last pinged around noon on Sunday, July 6 near County Road 8 and County Road 39 in Jasper County.

  • Caden Cantrelle (Courtesy: Japser Co. Sheriff’s Office)
  • Victor “Jerry” Carver III (Courtesy: Japser Co. Sheriff’s Office)

Jasper County deputies located Cantrelle’s body on Monday, July 7 in a rural area on County Road 39.

The investigation is ongoing.