An 18-year-old who was found dead in a backyard in Moss Point, Mississippi this week may have been involved in a nearby attempted home invasion, according to authorities.

A woman discovered Jayrell Cox in her yard on the morning of September 22nd, but police in the Gulf Coast community didn’t publicly connect the discovery with the robbery attempt until this week.

Police report that a homeowner in the same neighborhood found two armed men under his carport while exiting his house. When the two men tried to enter the home by force, the homeowner and the two armed suspects reportedly exchanged gunfire. The two suspects fled on foot, according to the homeowner. The homeowner told police that he did not know if he had shot either one of the suspects.

The next morning, Cox was found in the backyard of a nearby home.

According to Magnolia State Live, Cox’s death is now being investigated as part of that home invasion. While the results of the investigation will be turned over to a grand jury for possible charges, by all accounts the homeowner was well within his rights to defend himself and his home from the armed intruders.

In fact, this is the second attempted home invasion in two months that has resulted in a fatality in the small Mississippi town, though the robbery attempt last month ended with the resident shot and killed.

Chief Ashley says the incident happened on Ruby Street in Moss Point around 11:45 p.m. He says it resulted in the death of 27-year-old Kevin Harvey.

Chief Ashley says preliminary investigation leads investigators to believe the incident started as an attempted home invasion, when the unknown suspects failed to gain entry. They then began firing an unknown type of rife through the door, striking Harvey several times.

Chief Ashley says investigators believe this is an isolated incident. He says the residence was targeted for an unknown reason.