Victim Identified In Shelby County Death Investigation

SHELBY COUNTY, AL - A man found dead in his home Monday on Highway 39 in Chelsea has been identified as 68-year-old Tracy Ward Austin. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office is now investigating Austin's death, which investigators have determined to be a homicide.

Around 4:30 p.m. Monday, deputies responded to a residence in the 5800 block of Shelby County Highway 39 in Chelsea to investigate a reported death. As released Monday, upon arrival deputies discovered Austin's body in his home. The Shelby County Coroner’s Office and Sheriff’s investigators have been actively working trying to determine what caused Austin’s death and who may be responsible for it.

Authorities believe Austin died sometime Monday. The home is located close to the very busy intersection of Shelby County Highway 36 and Shelby County Highway 39 and investigators say they believe someone may be a witness without knowing it. The department asks that anyone who traveled either of those roads on Monday, after approximately 7:00 a.m., and saw anything suspicious, please contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office directly at (205)669-4181, through the Secret Witness line at (205)669-9116. A cash reward of up to $5,000 may be possible for information in this case.

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