Leon Parks, Parish Whitty identified as two men found shot to death in Coram, cops say

The two men found dead less than two miles apart in Coram were identified Tuesday as residents who were shot to death, Suffolk police said.

Leon Parks, 24, of Coram, was found in the grassy area off a parking lot of the Brookwood Village garden apartments on Brookwood Drive shortly after 8 a.m. Monday, police said. An apartment resident found him, police said.

Then at 9:20 a.m., a passing motorist discovered Parish Whitty, 22, of Middle Island, inside a black 2000 Infiniti Q45 parked on the shoulder of Coram-Swezeytown Road near Mount Sinai-Coram Road, police said.

Homicide detectives continued pursuing leads Tuesday to determine whether the two knew each other and if their deaths are connected, Det. Sgt. Charles Leser of the homicide squad said.

"We're not having a lot of cooperation right now," he said. "People don't want to get involved."

Leser declined to provide details of the men's backgrounds, but said it was "odd" that both were found dead in the same vicinity. People living nearby recalled hearing gunshots the night before the bodies were found, he said.

The registered owner of the car was interviewed by detectives, said Leser, who cited the ongoing investigation in declining to provide further details in the cases, including any connection between the car's registered owner and Whitty.

Detectives said anyone with information on the two deaths could call them at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-8477.