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Shooting in Bozeman, I think I knew the guy.

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:27 pm
by Billings_Griz
I umpired Legion baseball in Billings the last eight years and there was a coach by the name of Jason Wright. Decent guy if it's the same one???

None-the-less, a tragedy.




The 26-year-old man shot to death in a wheat field off Huffine Lane Friday has been identified as Jason Cody Wright of Bozeman, Gallatin County Sheriff Jim Cashell said Monday.

Wright was likely killed in the field where he was found, the sheriff said.





Detectives have no suspects in connection with Wright's death and no clue as to motive, Cashell said.

Wright's 2003 black Chevrolet Tahoe has been missing since his death, Cashell said. It may have a temporary license number, AAA D6784.

It is unknown whether the person who shot Wright took the Tahoe, he said.

"If you do see the vehicle with that temporary license-plate number, don't approach it," Cashell said. "Call law enforcement."

The gunfire heard near Huffine and Love lanes at 3:30 a.m. Friday was likely linked to the shots that killed Wright, Cashell said.

Wright was found dead about 10 hours later, lying on his back, partially hidden between rows of wheat in Montana State University's Arthur Post Agronomy Farm. He was found by a farm employee.

Investigators believe Wright was shot in the field.

"He probably died where we found him," Cashell said.

Wright was shot multiple times "above the waist," Gallatin County Coroner Duncan MacNab said.

Investigators declined to say how many times Wright was shot or what type of gun was used in the crime.

Whether Wright had drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death won't be known until the autopsy report returns from the state crime lab, MacNab said.

Wright's body was found in a 254-acre field used by researchers and students in the college of agriculture to develop wheat and barley, MSU spokeswoman Annette Trinity-Stevens said last week.

Detectives pored over the scene of the crime for three days, searching for evidence. They also interviewed several people who knew Wright and were with him on the night he was killed, Cashell said.

The yellow police tape was removed Monday and the crime scene "released," the sheriff said.

Anyone with information about the crime or the missing Tahoe should call the sheriff's office at 582-2100, the police department at 582-2000 or Crimestoppers at 586-1131.

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:32 pm
by kcatz
On the news last night they did identify him as baseball coach and former player, so it probably is the same guy.

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:06 am
by Billings_Griz
kcatz wrote:On the news last night they did identify him as baseball coach and former player, so it probably is the same guy.
Dammit. Thanks.

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:02 am
by rtb
There is an article on the Chronicle online today about his ties to baseball.

Man found dead had roots in Livingston baseball

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:21 pm
by Billings_Griz
rtb wrote:There is an article on the Chronicle online today about his ties to baseball.

Man found dead had roots in Livingston baseball
Thanks rtb, the little I knew of him, he was a decent guy. Bad deal...

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:41 pm
by rtb
Billings_Griz wrote:Thanks rtb, the little I knew of him, he was a decent guy. Bad deal...
Bad deal and very strange too. I wonder what the story is behind all this. I was in Bozeman this weekend and actually drove by the crime scene shortly after they found the body so I have been following the story pretty closely. In case you didn't see it there is a second article in the Chronicle about developments in the case. They found his vehicle that was missing parked in Belgrade.

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 4:15 pm
by irishcat23
Jason was a great guy and will be very greatly missed by all those who knew him. My heart goes out to his family as they try to make sense of this terrible tragedy.

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 1:47 pm
by BelgradeBobcat

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 2:04 pm
by SonomaCat
That's really, really messed up.

And I now regret having defended the guy -- if this charge holds true, the violence he expressed when his girlfriend cheated on him was just the tip of the iceberg.

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 2:12 pm
by RyeCat
As my 3 year old would say "....holy smoley!"