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Isle of Wight detectives investigating person of interest in Navy vet’s murder

Posted at 4:10 PM, Apr 17, 2015
and last updated 2015-04-17 16:10:25-04

Isle of Wight Co., Va. - The body of a woman found in Isle of Wight County on Friday has been identified as a former U.S. Navy sailor from Hampton, according the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office.

According to Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Tommy Potter, the body is that of 25-year-old Jean Marie Smith of Hampton.

Her body was found Friday by a hunter in a heavily wooded area in the Hatcher's Lane area. Smith's body was found with a gunshot wound. Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

Authorities say they are following up on several leads for suspects.

Police say they're zeroing in on a person of interest. Detectives won't say who that person is or if that person was a friend of Jean Marie's. But officials did say they did question someone who was romantically involved with Jean Marie up until a month ago.

"No matter what I do, I can't bring my child back and no matter what they do to the person, no matter how they prosecute him, it doesn't matter what they do to them, it won't bring my daughter back," says her mother Mary Jean Smith.

Smith served in the Navy from 2009 to 2011. Police say she was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2011.

The Smith family has set up a funeral fund for Jean Marie.

If anyone has information on this homicide, they are asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.