Madras Police arrested a man after investigating the death of a 36-year-old man near a homeless camp. On Tuesday, December 26, 2023 at approximately 6:45 am, officers responded to a report of a deceased person in the vicinity of the Willow Creek homeless camp located off NE Oak Street in Madras. The name is not being released at this time pending notification of family members.
At approximately 1:00 pm, a suspect was contacted by officers and brought to the police department for further questioning. A search warrant was issued for the area the suspect had been residing in at the camp and subsequently, a 54-year old man was charged with Manslaughter II and Criminally Negligent Homicide. He was taken to the Jefferson County jail and will be arraigned in Jefferson County Circuit Court today at 1:00 pm.
“Madras Police Department was successful in this case due to partnerships and assistance from several including Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Prineville Police Department, Warm Springs Police Department, Oregon State Police Crime Lab, Faith Based Network Warming Shelter, City of Madras Public Works, and members of the public,” stated Sgt. Steve Webb. “In this small, tight-knit community, we count on each other. Especially in a difficult situation like this, working together produces a quick resolution for the affected family and our community.”
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with related information is asked to contact Sgt. Steve Webb at 541-475-2424 ext. 203 or contact Non-Emergency Dispatch at 541-475-2201 ext. 0.
