Warrants Provide Insight Into Michelle Young Homicide Case

The husband of a young pregnant mother found dead in her home last month has been uncooperative with law-enforcement authorities and was having a relationship with a Florida woman, according to search warrants made public Thursday.

"Wake County sheriff's investigators have attempted to interview Jason Lynn Young; he has been uncooperative," according to an affidavit for a search warrant dated Nov. 21.

Young's wife, Michelle Young, 29, was found dead in her home on Nov. 3. A preliminary autopsy report indicated that she died from blunt force trauma.

Jason Young talked with investigators the day his wife's body was found and later gave fingerprints under a court order, but Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said Thursday that he has refused to speak with investigators.

"I sure would like to sit down and talk to him or have my investigators sit down and talk with him," Harrison said.

Warrants also indicate that Jason Young had a relationship with Michelle Money, of Ocoee, Fla., for a period of about three months before Michelle Young's death. Investigators confirmed the relationship with Money, who said she and Jason Young had corresponded daily via phone and e-mail, the warrants said.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said Money has been cooperative with investigators. Sources tell WRAL that she attended North Carolina State University with the Youngs and also attended Michelle Young's funeral.

Investigators spent about two weeks at the crime scene at 5108 Birchleaf Drive, collecting evidence before releasing the house back to the Young family.

Authorities seized a number of pieces of evidence from the Young residence that belong to Jason Young, including a U.S. Airways baggage claim ticket for Jason Young, a United Airlines ticket, a U.S. Airways MasterCard statement, a hotel confirmation and a hotel receipt.

Three wedding photos and three manila file folders containing a will and insurance papers were also taken from the home, as were computer hard drives, two cellular phones, answering-machine messages, videos, two camcorders, DVDs and digital images.

A third cellular phone was taken from Jason Young's Ford Explorer, the warrants indicated.

Investigators have been tight-lipped about the direction they are taking with the case. Although they have not named any suspects, Harrison confirmed Thursday that the alleged relationship has put more focus on Jason Young as a suspect.

"If I said no, I probably would be telling a lie," Harrison said, refusing to speak further about the relationship. "We look at anything like that. I'm not saying it had anything to do with the murder, but we're looking into it."

WRAL was unable to reach Jason Young and for comment Thursday. Raleigh attorney, Roger Smith Jr., whose name was also listed in the warrants, had no comment.

Harrison has said that investigators are making strong progress, having conducted more than 100 interviews and followed up on at least 65 leads in the case. They have also traveled across North Carolina and to three other states as part of their investigation.

Michelle Young was last seen alive the night before her death. She apparently had been visiting with friends at her home until about 10:30 p.m. Jason Young, authorities said, was out of town on business and had left a voicemail for Michelle Young's sister, Meredith Fisher, to go to the house on Friday afternoon to retrieve a document off of a printer.

Fisher went to the house and found Young lying facedown in her bedroom. The Youngs' 2-year-old daughter was at her mother's side, unharmed, authorities said.

The child is believed to be staying with her father. Sources have indicated that they have been staying with family, but it was unclear exactly where.