Dad stabbed to death in argument with Kroger coworker, TN cops say. ‘My role model’
A man fatally stabbed his coworker — a father and high school football coach — during an argument at a Kroger distribution warehouse in Memphis, family and police said.
Anderson Todd, 55, is charged with second-degree murder following the death of Jarcoby Hopson on Dec. 26, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Shelby County, Tennessee.
That morning, witnesses saw and heard the two men arguing, but the fight later turned physical, police said.
One witness said the men began pushing and shoving each other, then Todd began stabbing Hopson as Hopson yelled for him to stop, according to police.
Another coworker intervened and stopped the fight, but then Hopson collapsed as Todd walked away, police said.
A paramedic pronounced Hopson dead shortly before 9:30 a.m.
Hopson was an assistant football coach at Lake Cormorant High School in Mississippi, where he coached one of his sons, a standout recruit headed to college, The Clarion Ledger reported.
Jarcoby Hopson Jr., who recently signed with Ole Miss as a linebacker, took to social media to share the news of his father’s death.
“I thank you for everything you did for me pops you was my role model,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Made sure I was always good and knew the game…”
Hopson Jr. joins his older brother, Jarnorris Hopson, on the Ole Miss team, a feat their father proudly celebrated.
“I’m trying hard to hold my tears,” the dad wrote on Facebook on Dec. 4, when his younger son signed to the school.
Those who knew Hopson said he was dedicated to his children and the students he coached, with one friend sharing a recent memory highlighting his character.
“Sat at the bar all night talking about our boys and their futures,” the friend wrote on Facebook. “He loved his kids.”
Hopson received an outpouring of support on social media from loved ones and those who knew him through his coaching.
“Coby Hopson was always full of life and really cared about the kids,” one person wrote on Facebook. “‘The Swamp’ won’t be the same, I’m definitely going to miss him on the sideline.”
The Gators are Lake Cormorant’s mascot.
“Thanks for believing in our boys and pushing them to be the greatest,” another Facebook user wrote. “I will never forget what you taught my boy and told him to be the best he could be on that field, they will truly miss you.”
This story was originally published December 27, 2024 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Dad stabbed to death in argument with Kroger coworker, TN cops say. ‘My role model’."