citizen_sleuth
Verified family member - Orie Donald Esh thread
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NamUs #UP13292
Demographics
Sex: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino
Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 30
Estimated Age Range (Years): 25-35
Estimated Year of Death: 1987
Estimated PMI: N/A (News reports say about 2 days)
Height: 5'7" (67 inches), Measured (News reports say 5'8")
Weight: 145 lbs, Estimated
Cause of Death: Homicide by gunshot to the head
Circumstances
Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: March 8, 1987
NamUs Case Created: December 16, 2014
ME/C QA Reviewed: N/A
Location Found: Denair, California
County: Stanislaus County
Circumstances of Recovery: At around 1:30 p.m. on March 8, 1987, a rancher performing a routine check on his cattle discovered the body of a man lying face down in Sandy Creek, which runs through the fields about a mile behind the rancher's house. The rancher told police that he was riding through his property on horseback when he saw a calf stuck in a canal. After rescuing the calf, the rancher rode across the field and discovered the body. He then rode to his neighbor's house and asked her to call the police.
When officers responded, they found the body of a Latino man wearing only jeans and sneakers lying in the creek. The area had experienced heavy rain on Thursday, March 6, and the water level in the creek was high, but it has subsided significantly in the 48 hours prior to the body being discovered. As a result, detectives estimated the victim had been in the creek for about 2 days.
The rancher told authorities that at around 10 p.m. on Friday, the day before he found the body, he saw a car driving slowly down Monte Vista Avenue, shining a spotlight on the fields. The rancher said he did not go investigate further.
An autopsy determined the man had been shot in the face at close range with a small caliber gun, but authorities were unable to determine whether the man had been killed at the creek or if his body had been dumped there. The heavy rains also washed away footprints and other evidence. Investigators were unable to determine a motive for the killing.
Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Recognizable face
Physical Description
Hair Color: Brown
Facial Hair Description: Faint mustache
Eye Color: Brown
Distinctive Physical Features: Pock immunization mark on the left upper arm
Clothing and Accessories
- 30-34 Levi's faded jeans, purple jockey style briefs (On the Body)
- Grey/Blue New Balance tennis shoes (On the Body)
News Coverage
"Homicide victim found near Denair," Hanford Sentinel, 9 March 1987, 14.
Karyn Houston, "Slain man is found in creek," Modesto Bee, 9 March 1987, A1,
[part 1] [part 2]
The body of a Mexican man who had been shot in the head was found lying face down in a creek by a rancher early Sunday afternoon.
[...]
The victim was believed to be 20 to 30 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He wore only pants and shoes.
"At this point we know the victim had a gunshot wound to the head and that's about it," said Sgt. Richard McFarren of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department.
McFarren said the bullet was fired from a small-caliber gun. He said the victim's description did not match those on any current missing-person reports.
[...]
Charles Watts, who discovered the body, said he was on horseback making a routine check of cattle at about 1:30 p.m. when he noticed the victim's body half-submerged in Sandy Creek, which runs through the fields about a mile behind his home.
"I had just gotten through dragging a calf out of the canal who was just about ready to drown. When I took off across the field, I discovered the body in the creek," Watts said.
Watts guessed the victim had been in the creek for about 24 hours. After finding the body, he immediately rode to the home of his next-door neighbor, Sherri Dedmon, and asked her to contact the Sheriff's Department.
[...]
Watts said the water in Sandy Creek has been relatively shallow for the past 48 hours. The creek had been swollen with water after a downpour Thursday, but the water had subsided since then, he said.
Watts said he noticed a car driving slowly along Monte Vista Avenue just before he went to bed at about 10 p.m. Friday. The car was shining a spotlight in the fields. But Watts said he did not go out to investigate.
Daryl Farnsworth, "Victim's identity mystery," Modesto Bee, 13 March 1987, B2.
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Detective Michael Dulaney said the man had been shot once in the face at close range. He said the body appeared to have been in the creek about two days before it was found by a rancher.
[...]
"He wasn't wearing a shirt and there was no identification or jewelry on the body," Dulaney said.
He said detectives don't know whether the man was shot near where the body was found or was shot elsewhere and the body carried to the creek. He said rain had wiped out footprints and other evidence at the scene.
Demographics
Sex: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino
Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 30
Estimated Age Range (Years): 25-35
Estimated Year of Death: 1987
Estimated PMI: N/A (News reports say about 2 days)
Height: 5'7" (67 inches), Measured (News reports say 5'8")
Weight: 145 lbs, Estimated
Cause of Death: Homicide by gunshot to the head
Circumstances
Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: March 8, 1987
NamUs Case Created: December 16, 2014
ME/C QA Reviewed: N/A
Location Found: Denair, California
County: Stanislaus County
Circumstances of Recovery: At around 1:30 p.m. on March 8, 1987, a rancher performing a routine check on his cattle discovered the body of a man lying face down in Sandy Creek, which runs through the fields about a mile behind the rancher's house. The rancher told police that he was riding through his property on horseback when he saw a calf stuck in a canal. After rescuing the calf, the rancher rode across the field and discovered the body. He then rode to his neighbor's house and asked her to call the police.
When officers responded, they found the body of a Latino man wearing only jeans and sneakers lying in the creek. The area had experienced heavy rain on Thursday, March 6, and the water level in the creek was high, but it has subsided significantly in the 48 hours prior to the body being discovered. As a result, detectives estimated the victim had been in the creek for about 2 days.
The rancher told authorities that at around 10 p.m. on Friday, the day before he found the body, he saw a car driving slowly down Monte Vista Avenue, shining a spotlight on the fields. The rancher said he did not go investigate further.
An autopsy determined the man had been shot in the face at close range with a small caliber gun, but authorities were unable to determine whether the man had been killed at the creek or if his body had been dumped there. The heavy rains also washed away footprints and other evidence. Investigators were unable to determine a motive for the killing.
Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Recognizable face
Physical Description
Hair Color: Brown
Facial Hair Description: Faint mustache
Eye Color: Brown
Distinctive Physical Features: Pock immunization mark on the left upper arm
Clothing and Accessories
- 30-34 Levi's faded jeans, purple jockey style briefs (On the Body)
- Grey/Blue New Balance tennis shoes (On the Body)
News Coverage
"Homicide victim found near Denair," Hanford Sentinel, 9 March 1987, 14.
Karyn Houston, "Slain man is found in creek," Modesto Bee, 9 March 1987, A1,
[part 1] [part 2]
The body of a Mexican man who had been shot in the head was found lying face down in a creek by a rancher early Sunday afternoon.
[...]
The victim was believed to be 20 to 30 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He wore only pants and shoes.
"At this point we know the victim had a gunshot wound to the head and that's about it," said Sgt. Richard McFarren of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department.
McFarren said the bullet was fired from a small-caliber gun. He said the victim's description did not match those on any current missing-person reports.
[...]
Charles Watts, who discovered the body, said he was on horseback making a routine check of cattle at about 1:30 p.m. when he noticed the victim's body half-submerged in Sandy Creek, which runs through the fields about a mile behind his home.
"I had just gotten through dragging a calf out of the canal who was just about ready to drown. When I took off across the field, I discovered the body in the creek," Watts said.
Watts guessed the victim had been in the creek for about 24 hours. After finding the body, he immediately rode to the home of his next-door neighbor, Sherri Dedmon, and asked her to contact the Sheriff's Department.
[...]
Watts said the water in Sandy Creek has been relatively shallow for the past 48 hours. The creek had been swollen with water after a downpour Thursday, but the water had subsided since then, he said.
Watts said he noticed a car driving slowly along Monte Vista Avenue just before he went to bed at about 10 p.m. Friday. The car was shining a spotlight in the fields. But Watts said he did not go out to investigate.
Daryl Farnsworth, "Victim's identity mystery," Modesto Bee, 13 March 1987, B2.
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Detective Michael Dulaney said the man had been shot once in the face at close range. He said the body appeared to have been in the creek about two days before it was found by a rancher.
[...]
"He wasn't wearing a shirt and there was no identification or jewelry on the body," Dulaney said.
He said detectives don't know whether the man was shot near where the body was found or was shot elsewhere and the body carried to the creek. He said rain had wiped out footprints and other evidence at the scene.
