Officers continue to investigate Beisly's death

Vernon County, Mo. --A homicide investigation into the death of Belinda J. Beisly is currently under way by the Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The investigation began after the Vernon County Sheriff's Office responded to a check-well-being call at approximately 4 p.m., July 15, and discovered the body of Beisly in her rural Deerfield residence.

Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman said, "the preliminary indication is that she died from a gunshot wound; we're waiting for formal reports."

Peckman said that "this is a homicide investigation," but any case like this we begin as a homicide until we can rule it out."

The sheriff's office and the Highway Patrol continue to process evidence and are applying for more search warrants. "We're still interviewing and following leads," according Peckman. He said he couldn't say much more, "until I get something formal and toxicology reports back."