The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) confirmed on Monday that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is now investigating the July 19 homicide of Corey Adams, the 18-year-old University of Mississippi freshman who was recruited as an edge rusher by the Ole Miss Football team.
A statement from the sheriff’s office, posted to social media on Monday, announced that local law enforcement partnered with ATF to investigate the shooting death. It confirmed the investigation remains active, but without any suspects identified, more than a week after Adams was killed.
“Anyone with information about this shooting is encouraged to call Crimestoppers at 528-CASH,” wrote the SCSO, adding that there is a $4,000 reward for information that leads to the identification of Adams’ killer.
— ShelbyTNSheriff (@ShelbyTNSheriff) July 28, 2025
Adams was killed in Cordova, an unincorporated suburb of Memphis located about 73 miles away from the Ole Miss Football training grounds in Oxford, Mississippi.
SCSO reportedly discovered the victim after deputies stopped a vehicle at an intersection near the address where the shooting reportedly occurred. Inside the vehicle, deputies reportedly discovered Adams, who succumbed to his injuries at the scene despite the efforts of law enforcement and Shelby County Fire.
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Adams was recruited to play for Ole Miss Football in December 2024, when he was reported to be a six-foot-three edge rusher and ranked 637 in the country as a three-star prospect.
Ole Miss Football confirmed the death in a statement, which described the team as “devastated,” and said it would be its only comment on the matter. The Commercial Appeal noted Adams recently moved near the university to begin training on the football team, as he was expected to play this fall.
Much of what was originally Cordova has been annexed by Memphis in recent decades, which was previously described by FBI Director Kash Patel as the nation’s “homicide capital.” The director additionally said the Trump administration had assigned additional resources from the FBI to help the city.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
