NATCHEZ &045;&045; Awaiting further information about the cause of death and other clues to John Vassar’s murder, Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell said he is confident a suspect will be named in the case within the next few days.

Mississippi state crime lab technicians were still on the scene gathering evidence Wednesday, 48 hours after deputies first discovered what Ferrell called a &uot;violent crime scene.&uot; Vassar’s body was found early Tuesday, half-submerged in a pond on his late parents’ property on Morgantown Road.

Adams County Coroner James Lee said late Wednesday that autopsy results showed Vassar died from three gunshot wounds to the chest, leg and the back of the head.

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety, through its criminal investigation division, has helped in the investigation.

Officials from two other states are now also involved in the case, Ferrell said.

&uot;We feel closer to a suspect in another state, as a matter of fact we have two states involved,&uot; Ferrell said.

The second state is one in which a missing vehicle from the residence was found last night, abandoned. The car is caged and impounded but will be brought back today for more processing, Ferrell said.

Ferrell would not say which two states are aiding the investigation, only that they are states in the region.

Also, Ferrell said the sheriff’s office has been in close contact with the first state, exchanging photographs of the suspect, who is from another state.

&uot;Because of the exchange of photographs yesterday, we have further ID’d our suspect in another state, trying to use these credit cards (from the victim),&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;It will only be a short time before warrants are issued.&uot;

Ferrell said when charges are filed, the sheriff’s department intends to file a charge of capital murder, which carries the death penalty in Mississippi.

However, Ferrell said it will be a few more days before a warrant is issued because investigators want to be sure this is the suspect and they have all the evidence.

&uot;I feel confident that we should be able to release a name possibly within a few days, depending on how fast the scientific evidence is developed,&uot; Ferrelll said.

The suspect was a transient in the area but was an acquaintance of the victim, Ferrell said.

Ferrell also said he does not think the suspect knows the Adams County Sheriff’s Office is looking for him and has been right behind him in several other jurisdictions.

Ferrell said the tremendous amount of calls from the public has been helpful. Deputies spent much of their time Wednesday talking to witnesses.