John Shoupy

And after we were done with that story, I said, just keep in touch. Let me know if there's anything else you ever want to talk about. And a month later is when she called me to tell me what had happened to Dexter.

And after we were done with that story, I said, just keep in touch. Let me know if there's anything else you ever want to talk about. And a month later is when she called me to tell me what had happened to Dexter.

On the night that Dexter left home, within about an hour, he was crossing a nearby highway on foot. and he was hit by a car and killed. That car was a Jackson Police Department vehicle being driven by an off-duty Jackson Police Department officer. And that officer, after striking Dexter, pulled over and reported it.

On the night that Dexter left home, within about an hour, he was crossing a nearby highway on foot. and he was hit by a car and killed. That car was a Jackson Police Department vehicle being driven by an off-duty Jackson Police Department officer. And that officer, after striking Dexter, pulled over and reported it.

And so there was immediately a response from the Jackson Police Department's Accident Investigations Unit And because he had died instantly, there was also an immediate response from the Hines County Coroner's Office. And that's where they began to collect basic information about the accident and Dexter.

And so there was immediately a response from the Jackson Police Department's Accident Investigations Unit And because he had died instantly, there was also an immediate response from the Hines County Coroner's Office. And that's where they began to collect basic information about the accident and Dexter.

These types of procedures differ from place to place. But my understanding about at that point in time when it came to the coroner's office in Hines County and the police department in Jackson is that they kind of shared that responsibility. Although after we started reporting on this, each side started pointing the finger at the other.

These types of procedures differ from place to place. But my understanding about at that point in time when it came to the coroner's office in Hines County and the police department in Jackson is that they kind of shared that responsibility. Although after we started reporting on this, each side started pointing the finger at the other.

First of all, it's one of the main priorities of a coroner's office to identify positively and definitively identify someone who has died. And so that was the first thing that the investigator did, and that's the main part of his job, which was to identify Dexter Wade. He did that because Dexter had a bottle of prescription pills in his pocket, and the coroner's investigator was able to

First of all, it's one of the main priorities of a coroner's office to identify positively and definitively identify someone who has died. And so that was the first thing that the investigator did, and that's the main part of his job, which was to identify Dexter Wade. He did that because Dexter had a bottle of prescription pills in his pocket, and the coroner's investigator was able to

get a preliminary identification, and then through fingerprints, a definite identification of Dexter. That happened within a couple of days.

get a preliminary identification, and then through fingerprints, a definite identification of Dexter. That happened within a couple of days.

That's correct. The coroner's office investigator began steps to try to track down a next of kin for Dexter. And for him, that meant, because of those prescription pills, contacting the hospital where he had gotten those pills and finding a next of kin listed for him in the hospital and finding a name, Betterstein Wade, his mother, and a phone number.

That's correct. The coroner's office investigator began steps to try to track down a next of kin for Dexter. And for him, that meant, because of those prescription pills, contacting the hospital where he had gotten those pills and finding a next of kin listed for him in the hospital and finding a name, Betterstein Wade, his mother, and a phone number.

The coroner's office investigator said in his notes that he tried calling Betterstein Wade's phone number and didn't get anybody. Betterstein says that she does not recall any such call.

The coroner's office investigator said in his notes that he tried calling Betterstein Wade's phone number and didn't get anybody. Betterstein says that she does not recall any such call.

It's very vague, and I think that you'll find this in most places. Laws, when they do address this, talk about making a, quote, reasonable effort to find next of kin.

It's very vague, and I think that you'll find this in most places. Laws, when they do address this, talk about making a, quote, reasonable effort to find next of kin.

At the time that Dexter died and his body was was in the county morgue. Within several days, while his body was still there, the police department's missing persons unit had a missing persons report for Dexter Wade, whose body had been identified at the morgue.

At the time that Dexter died and his body was was in the county morgue. Within several days, while his body was still there, the police department's missing persons unit had a missing persons report for Dexter Wade, whose body had been identified at the morgue.