COPIAH COUNTY, Miss. — A man who had spent a lot of his childhood in Moses Lake was murdered in Mississippi over the weekend.

According to the Mississippi-based WLBT 3 News Canvis Hester, 33, of Hazlehurst, Miss. was found dead on the side of a road in Copiah County, Miss. from multiple gunshot wounds. Arrested in connection with Hester’s death were Dajour Nashay Sutton, 22, of Hazlehurst, Miss., Augustyn Lewis, 22, of Crystal Springs, Miss., Antonio Bailey, 22, of Crystal Springs, Miss. and Kimberly Sutton, 39. The four suspects are facing charges of capital murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, kidnapping and tampering with evidence.

Moses Lake resident Robbie Rowe had known Hester, who attended Moses Lake High School but graduated from high school in Mississippi, since the third grade.

“I was born in Chicago and he was born in Mississippi and then we met here in Moses,” Rowe remembers. “He was a funny outgoing dude, kind, kind to women and he was really happy to become a father.”

Rowe said Hester had a baby less than two years ago and he was committed to being a good father and being a good influence in his child’s life. To Rowe the news of his childhood friend’s death came as a complete and utter shock.

“I am just devastated, man. He was a great dude.”

Rowe said he will be flying to Mississippi to attend Hester’s funeral on Saturday and will be aiming to coordinate a memorial in Moses Lake to honor his childhood friend when he gets back.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at rbyrd@columbiabasinherald.com.