Columbus police are investigating a homicide after a body was found Saturday in a south Columbus apartment.
Authorities received a call around 8 a.m. about the body found in an apartment in the 300 block of 11th Street South, according a Columbus Police Department press release. The victim had suffered a gunshot wound, though the official cause of death will be determined by the coroner’s office.
Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant identified the deceased as 34-year-old Markcus Maurice Pate. Merchant said Pate’s body will be taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Pearl for autopsy.
Police do not have a suspect in custody. But Police Chief Fred Shelton said he did not believe it was a random act of violence.
“We are certain the victim and the suspect knew each other in some way,” Shelton said in the press release. “There is no sign of forceful entry into the apartment, which leads us to believe the suspect was invited in by someone in the apartment. … We are early into this case. We are not going to say much more except that we are developing strong leads already.”
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