Columbia Police are investigating the death Friday of former Fulton man, Derrick Lamont Berry, 28, of Columbia.
Berry's father, Daniel M. Berry of Fulton, said Wednesday he went to his son's home in Columbia Friday after he was unable to contact him. Berry said he found his son's body lying face down on the floor of his apartment with tape over his mouth and nose.
Berry said an autopsy is being performed on his son's body. Berry said he was told it will take two to four weeks before autopsy results are available.
Latisha Stroer of the Columbia Police Department Wednesday confirmed police are now working a death investigation at The Greens apartment complex at 5113 Clark Lane in Columbia.
"We are currently waiting on autopsy reports, specifically toxicology reports, and the investigation is ongoing," Stroer said. She declined to elaborate further on the investigation.
Berry said he was interviewed by Columbia Police.
"Police suspect foul play. I have no idea why anyone would want to kill my son. He was a good man. He was very religious and very active in church work," Berry said Wednesday.
Berry said he had not heard of any threats against his son and his son did not tell him that he had been threatened in any way.
"My son was not involved with drugs or anything like that," he said.
Berry said his son had lived in Columbia for the last three years. He had been manager of the Toys R Us store in Columbia. Berry said his son at the time of his death was the store's assistant manager.
Derrick Berry was a 2001 graduate of Fulton High School. He had been employed earlier for five years as a regional store manager for Walmart in Hannibal and in Minneapolis, Minn.
Berry was an active member of the FaithWalk Ministries in Paris, Mo. He also served the church as a musician and as technology director.
Funeral services will be at noon Saturday at FaithWalk Ministries church in Paris.