Gwinnett County police are trying to identify a suspect in a homicide that was initially thought to be a natural death.
Officers responded to a medical call on Lexington Drive in Lawrenceville on the evening of July 20. Ray Neal, 61, had been found dead in his bedroom.
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Neal had not answered his phone for about a day and had last seen his sister on July 19 around 6:30 p.m. His sister made the medical call to police and told them Neal suffered from multiple medical conditions.
Officers found blood on a bed, bathroom walls and shower curtain in Neal’s home. They were not certain if the blood was related to any of Neal’s medical conditions or if it was the result of a crime. Homicide investigators were made aware of the blood, but Neal’s body was eventually released to a funeral home.
When funeral home employees were preparing Neal’s body for transport, they noticed “suspicious injuries” on Neal’s neck. The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on Monday, July 22, and the results have led Gwinnett County police to investigate Neal’s death as a homicide. The injuries are believed to be stab wounds.
Police do not currently have a suspect or description of a potential suspect. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Gwinnett County detectives at 770-513-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477. Crime Stoppers tips may be rewarded with up to $2,000 if they lead to an arrest or indictment.
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