The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is trying to figure out how a man’s body ended up in a dirt lot near DeLand.

  • Investigators say woman heard gunshots
  • Name of deceased not released
  • Tireless truck towed away for inspection

The man was found off Green Street, near Parsons Avenue on Tuesday night.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office says police from DeLand were patrolling the area around 10 p.m. when they heard gunshots.

They did not find anything, but a half hour later, the Sheriff’s Office started receiving 911 calls about a shooting.

A woman who called said she heard the shots but did not see anything, investigators said.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they found a man dead in the dirt lot, next to a campfire pit.

Early Wednesday morning, a Crime Scene Unit member could be seen inspecting a white truck located next to the man’s body.

The truck, which did not have any wheels, was towed away for closer inspection.

Willie Ware, who says his mother and aunt live in a nearby home, said the man who was found dead was homeless and lived in the truck and started campfires.

"He had been asked several times to just leave the property, and he just chose to just sleep in that truck and nobody could never get him out of the truck," Ware said. "So... I don't know... He got in a fight and beat up a few weeks ago, and he came right back. And now this happens to him.”

Investigators have not released the victim’s name, and there is no one in custody right now.

Anyone with information on what happened is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).