Man found dead on side of road in Gretna identified; apparent shooting victim

Danville Register & Bee
Published: May 16, 2008

Updated 6:25 p.m

GRETNA - A man found dead Wednesday night on Rockford School Road appears to be a shooting victim, according to a news release from the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s office.

The Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke released its preliminary findings in the death investigation of Derek Lamont Williams on Friday, the release states.

The examiner said Williams’ death was firearms-related, the release states.

Sheriff Mike Taylor said Friday that media reports that investigators found no wounds on Williams’ body are inaccurate. The sheriff said he could not find any source for the information within his office.

The criminal investigation into the circumstances associated with and leading to Williams’ death is not complete and continues by a number of law enforcement agencies, Taylor said.

The sheriff’s office is awaiting additional results from evidence submitted by crime scene investigators to the forensic laboratory, he said.

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Original story 1:14p.m

GRETNA — The body found on the side of Rockford School Road on Wednesday night has been identified as 23-year-old Derek Lamont Williams, according to a news release from the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.

His last known address is 1131 Dakon St. in Lynchburg, the release states.  The body is expected to be transported Friday to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for an autopsy. 

Investigators with the sheriff’s office say no wounds have been found on the man’s body and they do not expect foul play.

At about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office received a call reporting a body found on Rockford School Road.

After deputies arrived, they found a deceased, black male in his early to mid 20s, according to the sheriff’s office.

Anyone with information related to this crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-791-0044.

Investigators from Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime Unit, the General Inves-tigation Unit, the Lynchburg Police Department and Deputy Chief Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Haskins are interviewing cooperating witnesses, the release states.