In the early morning of March 29, 2020, a birthday gathering at a home in Cluster Springs, Virginia, ended with the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Travis Leon Hughes of South Boston. A dispute over a broken speaker escalated during the party. Darrin Lamont Crawley, described in reports as Hughes’ best friend, drew a firearm and fired multiple shots that struck Hughes five times in the back. Hughes was taken by private vehicle to Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital and died shortly after arrival.

Police identified and arrested Crawley, then 30, on first-degree murder and firearm charges, and also arrested 28-year-old Lucy Bouldin Cook of South Boston on felony obstruction of justice charges. Investigators searched a stretch of Huell Matthews Highway for the weapon but did not recover it. The shooting left behind Hughes’ four young children.

Anyone who was at the gathering or who has information about the shooting or the discarded firearm is asked to come forward.