A burned body discovered in a Finley fire late Tuesday night is a murder victim.
The Latino man, believed to have been in his early to mid-30s, died from a shotgun blast to his chest, said Lt. Joe Lusignan of the Benton County Sheriff's Office.
The fire may have been set to destroy evidence, Lusignan said.
Spanish-speaking deputies were helping interview laborers at the orchard property at 217025 E. 528 PR S.E. on Thursday, Lusignan said.
"We believe we know who he is, but we aren't releasing the name yet because we don't know for sure and no family has been notified," Lusignan said.
The fire destroyed less than an acre on the orchard property, which is owned by Washington Fruit and Produce of Yakima.
Lusignan said he didn't know if the victim had been one of the fruit company's employees.
"We've been sifting through the fire, which was extremely hot, but we haven't found a weapon yet," Lusignan said.
Officials are using teeth and a DNA sample to help identify the man.
Similar stories:
Kennewick man sought after alleged threats
Kennewick man sought after alleged threats
A 27-year-old Kennewick man is being sought by Benton County sheriff's deputies after threatening his former girlfriend's new boyfriend and running over him with a van.
Benton County sheriff's deputies were called Wednesday night to a home at 5905 S. Havana St., after the victim's girlfriend reported he had been run over, said Deputy Joe Lusignan.
When deputies arrived, Brandon Joseph Honeycutt, 27, was found face down on the driveway. He was suffering from potential internal and head injuries and was taken to Kennewick General Hospital for treatment, Lusignan said.
Police roundup: Kennewick men arrested after car swiped
Police roundup: Kennewick men arrested after car swiped
Two Kennewick men were arrested early Friday after reportedly swiping a car from a Pasco home and leading police on a chase through town.
Pasco police were called at 1 a.m. Friday after a resident in the 1500 block of North Fourth Avenue reported hearing someone outside and seeing them drive off in his Honda CRX, said Capt. Jim Raymond.
Responding officers first spotted the car at 14th Avenue and Howard Street, and the driver briefly stopped the car. But as officers were ordering the men out of the car, the driver sped off, Raymond said.
Kennewick man accused of ramming into trooper's car
Kennewick man accused of ramming into trooper's car
KENNEWICK -- A 31-year-old Kennewick man suspected of drunken driving on Highway 395 is accused of ramming his car into a trooper's patrol car twice before being arrested.
Washington State Patrol Trooper James Zane tried to stop Steven Barrett Silliman around 9:50 p.m. Monday after clocking him going 51 mph in a 35-mph zone on Highway 395 at Seventh Avenue in Kennewick, court documents said.
Silliman allegedly failed to stop at 10th Avenue, and Zane began chasing him as Silliman turned onto South Ely Street. Zane said Silliman ran a red light at 27th Avenue and continued through the intersection at 60 mph, documents said.
Man jailed in alleged assault on fiancee
Man jailed in alleged assault on fiancee
A 30-year-old Pasco man was jailed Tuesday for allegedly threatening and assaulting his fiancee after accusing her of cheating, authorities said.
Christopher Scott Eubanks reportedly became enraged over the weekend when he got a call from his fiancee's ex-boyfriend who claimed to have had sex with the victim, said Benton County sheriff's Deputy Joe Lusignan.
Eubanks was driving in his truck with the victim and began hitting her while he drove and threatened to take her to a remote area, Lusignan said.
Prosser man allegedly points gun at wife during argument
Prosser man allegedly points gun at wife during argument
A 24-year-old Prosser man was arrested Monday after allegedly pointing a loaded sawed-off shotgun at his wife during an early-morning argument.
The 19-year-old woman told Benton County sheriff's deputies that she began arguing with her husband, Kyle Ross Heintz around 2 a.m. Monday, and he slapped her several times and spit on her, court documents said.
Heintz reportedly was extremely intoxicated and threatened to cut her throat and stomach, documents said.
Print
Email Story
