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The Virginia State Police have been asked to assist in the investigation of the fatal shooting of a teenager in Amherst County.
Sgt. David Cooper, of the Virginia State Police, confirmed Tuesday that Amherst Sheriff Jimmy Ayers has requested help from the state police’s bureau of criminal investigations to look into the murder of Justin Baumgardner, 19, of Naola.
Baumgardner was found shot to death May 4 in his pickup truck in a driveway off Virginia 130. Cartridge casings were found along the road and a black cap was found near the casings. Deputies have charged Timothy Wayne Wright Jr., 21, of Amherst, with murder.
Capt. Duval Doss, of the Amherst County Sheriff’s office, said investigators are meeting with the state police today. He did not comment on why their assistance was requested.
Search warrants filed in the case revealed that a son of an Amherst County sheriff’s deputy was an eyewitness linking Wright to the fatal shooting.
Justin Davis was with Wright when Baumgardner was shot and told police what he saw, the warrants state. The handgun used was stolen from him, Davis told authorities. Wright is also charged with abducting Davis.
Baumgardner was shot several times. He had no connection to the residence at the driveway where his body was found, authorities said.
Wright was arrested last week and charged with murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, shooting into an occupied vehicle, shooting from a vehicle, and grand larceny. Wright is being held at the Amherst County Jail.
Warrants are for Wright’s home and Ford pickup truck to search for a Cobra .380 semiautomatic handgun. Investigators are looking to DNA evidence to further link Wright to the crime.
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Reader Reactions
Too many different versions of what happened that night. Was the gun stolen or snatched from Davis? Davis kidnapped, probably not. Why did it take so long to go to the police. I pray the truth come out. Truthseeker hit the nail on the head. They are alot of us out here that feel the same.
Yes by all means some agency other than Amherst Sheriff’s dept. should conduct this investigation. But it should have been done by the State Police or other agency from beginning as soon as it was determined that the witness is the son of a deputy. I fear now the State police will only continue what the Sheriff’d Dept started and not fully investigiate the entire case including all the questions about the gun, the witness, etc. I think the damage has already been done and this is only for show.
Yes, they WILL work together to cover yet another murder up.
Yes, they will all work together to cover yet another murder up.
I see the reason right there in front of me.
All the news lately has been against the AC Sheriff’s Office, and they want to make sure this case is handled by an outside agency and done fair and impartial.
Also the witness is a relative of one of their own. It is always the case in something like this to bring in an outsider to investigate.
I commend Sheriff Ayers and his department for what they are doing. And I am sure they will ALL work together to solve this murder.
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