Man found shot to death in burning car Tuesday in east Macon

What began as a call about a burning car Tuesday quickly turned into a homicide case.

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office is investigating the fatal shooting of a man found dead in the car on Lakeshore Drive.

The Macon-Bibb County Fire Department was first called about a vehicle fire, and while on the scene found a burning cloth stuck in the opening of the gas tank, according to a news release. While putting out the small fire, firefighters discovered an unresponsive man in the vehicle. Deputies identified the victim as Deleon Wiley Hudson, 43, of Macon. Deputies said Hudson had been shot.

Coroner Leon Jones said Hudson's body did not have any burns, so he is certain the death was solely the result of a single gunshot wound. Jones could not say whether the shooting occurred immediately before the fire.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Jones noted that the shooting is Macon-Bibb's fourth homicide in nine days. It is the second such rash of homicides this year. In September, Macon-Bibb had five homicides in eight days, with three of those in one day.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the sheriff's office at 751-7500 or Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 877-68-CRIME.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Man found shot to death in burning car Tuesday in east Macon ."