Officials waiting for DNA of victim
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on December 7, 2009 1:46 PM
Investigators with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office are "99 percent sure" they have identified a victim found dead in Evergreen Cemetery last week, but are waiting on DNA testing to officially release the name, a Sheriff's Office captain said today.
An autopsy has been completed, and authorities have reason to believe they have identified the victim, Capt. Tom Effler said early today.
However, they will wait to release the name until genetic testing proves the victim and the name are a match, the captain said.
That testing should take about one week to be completed.
Authorities were called to Evergreen Cemetery, on U.S. 70 between Rosewood and Princeton, just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
The victim was found in a western quadrant of the cemetery, an open area visible from the road where few graves have been erected.
Authorities have not released a possible cause of death, including whether the victim had died of gunshot wounds.
A toxicology report was also reportedly being administered, and may take longer than other testing to complete, authorities said.
The Sheriff's Office is still asking for help in the case, asking anyone to report any activity they may have noticed in the cemetery in the hours leading up to the murder.
The lead detective, Lt. Carl Lancaster, can be reached at 731-1481, or through the Crime Stoppers hotline at 735-2255.