Amherst Co. Sheriff asks State Police for help in teenager murder case

By Carrie J. Sidener
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: May 14, 2008

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.