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Exclusive: Search warrant affidavit outlines how police found body buried behind Surry Co. home

Posted at 4:18 PM, Jun 25, 2013
and last updated 2013-06-26 07:08:47-04

Surry County, Va. - A search warrant affidavit explains what led police to the home where they dug up a body this weekend in Surry County.

A call from a Wilson, North Carolina man named Ted Amundsen is what tipped police off to start digging behind the home.

It states that Amundsen developed a 'relationship' with Jennifer Sawyer.

She told him that her husband Jeffrey Sawyer murdered a man, and that the crime is still unsolved. Police interviewed Jennifer and she told investigators that she witnessed her husband shoot a man only known as "David Tyrone" back on January 1, 2006 after a New Year’s Eve party, according to the affidavit.

Related: Human remains found behind a Surry County home

She went on to tell police that Jeffrey then put the body in a sleeping bag and buried it in the backyard of their home.

The affidavit says she has lived in the home since it happened.

Surry court records show that Jeffrey Sawyer is currently behind bars for sex crimes involving a child.

Police tell NewsChannel 3 they have a suspect, but will not release the name and are planning to interview him soon.

Today, neighbors told us Jennifer Sawyer lives at the home with her six children, but police say she's currently staying with relatives.

“It didn't seem to be a terribly well-functioning household. And then he went away and we found out he had been incarcerated. We were always looking out for the children,” says a neighbor.

“He was a tall, strong man. He put up birthday things for his children to play on in the backyard. I think he may have had a bit of a short fuse,” the neighbor responded when asked about Jeffery.

Police say they have wrapped up digging, and don’t believe they'll find more body parts.

They say they did find teeth remains, so they'll try to use dental records, but will most likely use DNA to identify the body.