NORWICH – Police declared a 61-year-old Norwich man’s death as a homicide Friday after autopsy results confirmed investigator’s suspicious.
According to the New York State Police, William E. Lee, 61, was shot in the head and killed at his Town of Norwich residence at 5220 State Route 23 last Thursday.
Dr. James Terzian performed the autopsy Friday after the body was removed from the scene and driven to St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam so investigators could get the results as soon as possible.
Lt. James Barnes said police found no evidence of a break-in at the Tanner Hill home and that Mr. Lee’s body had been there for a period of time before police arrived.
A relative discovered the body and made a 911 call from the residence at 1:51 p.m. Thursday, according to the dispatch logs.
Police continue to investigate the incident from the Norwich City Police Station, using the emergency operations center on the second floor as the investigation’s command center.
The Troop C Forensic Identification Unit processed the scene for nearly six hours Thursday and were present for the autopsy Friday.
Neighbors in the area said they saw several vehicles going in and out of the deceased’s driveway several times a night, for only a few minutes at a time.
Lee is a was a Vietnam veteran who was on disability and has lived in the Norwich area for the past 15 years, according to his family.
Police set up a road check on State Route 23 in the vicinity of the crime scene to locate any potential witnesses over the weekend.
The New York State Police, assisted by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, Norwich Police Department, and the New York State Forest Rangers Anyone with information is being asked to contact the New York State Police at 561-7400. All calls will remain confidential.
This recent investigations marks the fifth homicide case in Chenango County in just over two years.
• In the most recent murder, Joshua T. Story, 24, of 33 Classic St., Sherburne is charged with the second degree murder of Kallin P. Richards, 24, of New Berlin. The crime allegedly took place just after 2:30 a.m., Feb. 22, in the parking lot outside of Story’s residence at Sherburne Meadows Apartments after the two men, reported to be friends, got in an argument after a night of drinking. Story allegedly shot Richards with a shotgun as he attempted to leave the scene in his truck. The case is still pending and is scheduled for early 2009.
• In another trial set to begin Dec. 1, George Ford Jr., 42, of Piscataway, N.J., is charged with second degree murder for allegedly causing the death of his 12-year-old baby-sitter, Shyanne Somers. The incident took place at around midnight on July 8, 2007 in South Otselic, when Ford allegedly ran over the victim with his pick-up truck.
• Daniel L. Brown, 46, admitted to the rape, robbery and murder of his landlord, Tammy L. Periard, in the City of Norwich March 26, 2007. He was sentenced to 20 years to life Dec. 14, 2007.
• Jason Allen Sherman, 24, of 5223 Piety Hill Road, who was originally charged with two counts of first-degree manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault for the death of his girlfriend’s 16-month-old infant who was discovered dead on Nov. 10, 2006. Sherman pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter April 3; however District Attorney Joseph A. McBride said Sherman was attempting to withdraw from the plea deal and retracted his guilty plea claiming a misunderstanding with his defense counsel. The case is set for a hearing later in December.