CHIPLEY - The body of a Washington County man was found at his Dauphin Road home early this morning, apparently the result of a homicide in connection with a Saturday shooting of an Alabama state trooper.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Alabama Bureau of Investigation at approximately 1:37 a.m., advising that a vehicle involved in the shooting of an Alabama State Trooper in Geneva County, Ala. was owned by a Washington County resident, according to a news release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
WSCO Officers were immediately dispatched to perform a welfare check on the vehicle's registered owner, 66-year old James W. Shores of 2754 Dauphin Road.
Upon arriving on scene, officers performed a search of the residence and surrounding property. Shores' body was discovered behind a nearby family farmhouse at 2842 Johnson Road. His death is suspected to be a result of foul play, officials wrote in a news release.
The WCSO Crime Lab, assisted by the FDLE Crime Lab, was dispatched to the scene. Investigators with WCSO are continuing extensive interviews and a search of all vehicles on the property at this time.
Currently, there are persons of interests in this suspected homicide in custody, officials wrote. The state trooper, Marcel Phillips, is in stable condition at a local hospital.
According to The Dothan Eagle Zachary Taylor Wood, 23, of Glenwood and Dillon Scott Rafskey, 21, of Enterprise were arrested at the scene of the shooting and charged with attempted murder.