The investigation continues into the murder of a former Port Arthur police officer that was found dead in his home in the 2200 block of Glenwood on Sunday.

The victim, identified as Chris Jeffries, 47, had recently been working at a local refinery and was last seen on Friday. He did not report for work over the weekend.

Police, acting on a tip, spoke with the fiancé of the deceased man on Sunday and asked permission to go to the house to check on his welfare.

She refused the request.

Law enforcement later kicked in the door of the home and found Jeffries dead in a back room. The exact cause of death has not been released, but police are investigating it as a homicide.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, PAPD Maj. Raymond Clark said.

“We are continuing to gather evidence and hope to present the entire case to the district attorney’s office within two days,” Clark said.

A person of interest has been identified but no one is in custody at this time.

Neighbors on Sunday described an on-again, off-again relationship between the deceased and the fiancé and at least one neighbor heard a noise that may have been related to the crime.

Jim Bailey, who lives next door to Jeffries, said his nephew heard noise around 9 p.m. Friday and Bailey’s dogs “going crazy in the back.”

His nephew went to check and heard two loud noises, possibly gunshots, as well as a deep-voiced man on Jeffries’ porch that wasn’t the voice of the victim.

Jeffries was on the PAPD force about six years and resigned in the late 1990’s.

Jeffries’ death marks the first homicide in the city this year.

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