Cops: Va. woman found shot dead in car pulled into driveway
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. --Police say a young Virginia woman was found shot dead in her car late Sunday, and they're investigating her death as a homicide.
The body of Heather Ciccone was found in the car at the end of a driveway of a home in Spotsylvania, about 60 miles north of Richmond, Capt. Jeff Pearce of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office told 48 Hours' Crimesider. The 21-year-old woman, who CBS affiliate WTVR reports was a server at a Red Robin restaurant, was last seen that day at the Spotsylvania home where she lived with her parents about 30 minutes away.
Her parents told the station she said she was going to help a friend whose car broke down.
Pearce said the owners of the home near where the body was discovered aren't connected to the crime. He said the car "wasn't ten feet" into what was a long stretch of driveway between the road and the home, and it appeared it had pulled in "very quickly."
The homeowners notified police after making the gruesome discovery, reports WTVR. On Monday, a medical examiner ruled Ciconne's death a homicide by a gunshot to the upper body, Pearce said.
Pearce said investigators uncovered several pieces of evidence inside the car, including a shell casing, but wouldn't comment further on what was recovered. Police have "some leads," he said.
Family tells WTVR that Ciccone has received death threats, and say a woman has been stalking and threatening to kill her.
Police wouldn't comment on the person to the station.