POND, Miss. - A body found in Mississippi with multiple gunshot wounds is believed the be that of a Southern University student who went missing on July 17. 

Steven Harris, a sophomore at the university, has not been seen since July 17 when he was scheduled to attend a custody hearing for his child. 

Wednesday morning, deputies with the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed a body had been discovered near Pond, Mississippi. While positive identification was not yet possible, deputies said clothing and other evidence lead investigators to believe it is the body of Harris. 

The coroner told WBRZ the body was found with multiple gunshot wounds and that it had been there for at least a week. While the identity of the body was not fully confirmed, officials said they assume it is that of Steven Harris. 

Harris was a sophomore at Southern University studying criminal justice and a member of the Human Jukebox. His parents said he usually communicated with them before leaving for several days and that his disappearance was unusual.

His mother Lasonia said someone told her that Harris went to a party in Centreville, Mississippi, the day he disappeared. She said his friends didn't have any idea that Harris had left the state. 

"None of them have ever remembered Steven ever talking about going to Centerville, Mississippi, knowing anyone from Centerville, Mississippi, or ever being in Centreville, Mississippi," Lasonia said.

Lasonia and her husband Thomas traveled to where Steven's phone last pinged and talked to residents nearby. She said they could not recall a party ever taking place on that Wednesday.

In addition, his parents said he had every reason to be back in West Feliciana on Thursday. He was scheduled to be in court for a custody hearing Thursday morning and they said he was eager to keep fighting for the full custody of his son. 

"Steven has a one-and-a-half-year-old son that he fought very hard for," Lasonia said. "This is completely out of character. Not Steven."

Local law enforcement did not have any word on possible suspects or a motive for the killing.