By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
A Salisbury man found dead earlier this year in a wooded area off Old Wilkesboro Road was shot five times, an autopsy report revealed.
The body of Jason Tyrone Heggins, 21, was discovered Jan. 24. His death marked the first Salisbury murder of 2009.
Salisbury Police, who continue to investigate, have only said Heggins was shot multiple times.
According to the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office, Heggins, was shot twice in the head, once in the chest, once in the arm and once in the left hand.
One of those gunshot wounds was most likely at close range, the report said.
The medical examiner, Kathy Rogers, conducted the exam Jan. 27 at the Charlotte office.
Heggins was shot in the head at “contact range,” the report said.
Salisbury Police Deputy Chief Steve Whitley explained contact range basically means close proximity or very close range.
“Most likely, the gun was against the skin or close enough to leave an impression,” Whitley said.
The medical examiner said all of the wounds would be immediately lethal, except for the one in the hand.
A toxicology report also shows Heggins had no alcohol in his system.
Heggins and his older brother, Thomas, grew up in Salisbury and were raised by Diane Byers.
In March, Byers said Jason was an outdoorsmen and had been a quiet child. Thomas said his brother was the not a confrontational person and didn’t go looking for trouble.
Efforts to reach Byers Monday were unsuccessful.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245 or the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333.