FAYETTE — Whether playing sports or doing homework, Traneccia Collins always made sure her 7-year-old son was on top of his game.

The 24-year-old Fayette mother was discovered shot to death Wednesday evening in the East Mount Olive Baptist Church cemetery in Jefferson County, Sheriff Peter Walker said.

No arrests have been made in the case, which Walker said has been deemed a homicide.

Collins’ sister and Natchez High School teacher Cheryl Conway of Vicksburg said her family is baffled at her sister’s murder.

“We just have no idea (who would want to hurt her),” Conway said.

Conway said her family is deeply saddened by the loss of Collins and said family members will always remember her as a funny, lively outgoing and outspoken woman.

Most of all, Conway said, Collins was a good mother to her son, Jaekwon.

Conway said her sister always made sure Jaekwon was involved in sports, attended all of his activities and stayed on top of his schoolwork. She was a very proud mother, Conway said.

“He was her pride and joy,” she said. “They were very close.”

Collins previously attended Alcorn State University, Conway said. She was on a break from school but was planning to return to finish her nursing degree, Conway said.

Collins is the eighth of 13 children, and Conway said all of her siblings are close and will miss their sister. Collins is the daughter of Ozella Collins and Lafayette Horton Sr.

Conway said her family is awaiting more information from law enforcement about the circumstances surrounding her sister’s death.

“We just want to find out more information about what transpired,” she said.

Sheriff Walker said Collins died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Walker said Collins had been dead for a few hours when he arrived at the scene at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Walker said preliminary investigation indicates that Collins’ body was placed in the church cemetery after she was killed. Walker said police believe she was killed at another location.

Anyone with any information about Collins’ death should call Walker at 601-597-8475 or investigators James Bailey or Bobby Bailey at 601-786-3403.

“If anyone has any information that they feel is helpful, her friends, the last time they saw her, who she was with, please call us,” Walker said.