No criminal involvement in death at deer camp

Published 12:00 am Monday, January 22, 2001

[01/22/01] The manner of death of roofing contractor David Gamble on Wednesday at a north Warren County hunting camp has been ruled “undetermined” by Warren County Coroner John Thomason.

Sheriff Martin Pace said his investigation has been closed and conclusively shows no criminal involvement.

The caretaker of Oak Ridge Hunting Club found Gamble, who was 36, shot to death at about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at the club, 11313 Mississippi 465. Gamble was a member of the hunting camp, and Wednesday was the last day of the season to hunt deer with guns.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

When investigators from the Warren County Sheriff’s Department arrived, they found Gamble on the ground in front of one of the cabins and near his pickup. There were no witnesses to what occurred.

“We’re satisfied that the victim was alone at the time of the shooting and that there was no criminal involvement,” Pace said Friday. “The weapon that was found on the scene with the body was a weapon that was owned by the victim.”

Under state law, coroners rule on the cause and manner of death. Thomason said Thursday morning that the cause of death was a single gunshot wound that entered Gamble’s chin. He said he could not at that time determine the manner of death and ordered an autopsy that was performed in Jackson Thursday night.

Thomason said Friday that even after the autopsy, there remains a number of questions he cannot answer.

Because of that, “there is no way I can determine the manner of his death,” Thomason said, adding the death certificate will read “undetermined.”

Gamble was the founder and owner of River City Roofing Inc. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, four sisters and other relatives.

Services were at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Catholic Church. Burial followed at Cedar Hill Cemetery.