Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the death of a Woodville woman found in her vehicle along an Adams County road Monday as a homicide.

Anna Lofton Blank, 28, 194 Smith Road, was pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds to the head after deputies discovered her 1987 Honda parked along West Wilderness Road near Broadmoor Subdivision.

Adams County Coroner James Lee said Blank suffered two gunshot wounds, one to the forehead and another to the left side of the head. Both showed evidence of contact with the weapon, he said.

Based on a preliminary autopsy conducted Monday, Lee estimated the time of death to be shortly after 1 a.m., six hours before deputies arrived on the scene.

Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell said dispatchers received a call at 7:14 a.m. from someone who had seen a woman unconscious in her car.

Ferrell said deputies at first thought the woman had passed out at the wheel, but on arriving at the scene, realized the woman was dead.

He would not comment on whether there was evidence of a struggle at the scene, but did say the case is being &uot;vigorously investigated&uot; at this time.

At this time, Lee said he could not determine any physical evidence of a struggle, and though drugs or alcohol are not suspected, toxicology tests have been performed and results are due back in two to three weeks.

In light of the recent increase in crime in Natchez and Adams County, Ferrell said he has no answer for people wondering why the violent acts seem to come in &uot;spurts.&uot;

But he is reassured by the fact that many of the suspects have been apprehended and none of the crimes appear to be connected.

&uot;We’ve just not reached everybody with the message that crime doesn’t pay,&uot; he said.

In the meantime, Ferrell said residents should be cautious and aware of their surroundings. Murder is a rare crime in the area, Ferrell said and this is the first case his department has investigated in more than a year and a half.