BELMONT — A suspect is in custody as police continue to investigate a homicide after a body was found in a vehicle parked along Helms Road early this morning.

Randy Small, 56, of Helms Road, was booked into the Brown County Jail this morning on a murder charge and is being held with no bond for 48 hours as the investigation into the homicide continues. Formal charges have not yet been filed.

Police first responded to Small’s home just after midnight on Sept. 16 after receiving a report that Small had told a relative he had shot someone.

Once officers arrived on scene there was about an hour long standoff before Small surrendered, Det. Brian Shrader with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department said this morning.

“Through the course of that investigation and officers trying to figure out what had happened they discovered the shooting happened down the road,” Shrader said.

“They went down the road and found the deceased male.”

The identity of the man found has not been released and is pending an autopsy due to the nature of his injuries.

Coroner Earl Piper said this morning that the death is a homicide, but that no other information would be released until after the autopsy was completed either today or tomorrow.

The man’s body was found in a vehicle on the side of Helms Road around 1 a.m.

Shrader said the investigation so far shows the homicide may be related to a property dispute and that police believe the victim is a neighbor, but cannot confirm his identity until an autopsy is done.

“We just need a pathologist who will perform the autopsy to confirm everything we already suspect,” Shrader said.

Police will interview more witnesses and the autopsy will be done before formal charges could be filed, Shrader said.

He said there is no threat to the community.

The sheriff’s department is investigating the homicide and is being assisted by the Indiana State Police.

If anyone has information about this case they are encouraged to contact Shrader or Det. Paul Henderson by calling 812-988-6655, extension 0 to talk to dispatch.

Fingerprints or DNA will be used to identify the victim. Piper estimated that the victim had been deceased between approximately 24 to 36 hours before his body was found.

Shrader said a firearm was used in the homicide, but could not specify at this time what type.