Document text
Mystery surrounds Talent man's death By DANI DODGE PHOENIX -- A man found dead in an orchard Wednesday has been identified as Kevin Steven Elkin, 39, of Talent. But the cause and circumstances of his death remain a mystery. An autopsy had been scheduled Thursday to determine the cause of his death, but it was rescheduled to Friday after being interrupted by the twists and turns of the continuing investigation. Although deputies learned Thursday that Elkin's yellow Camaro had been involved in an accident Sunday only a half-mile from where his body was found, they are continuing to investigate the case as a homicide. Deputies said they are leaning away from the theory that Elkin was injured in the accident, then wandered away from the car and died. "The injuries so far that are apparent are probably not caused from an auto accident," said Lt. Dewey Patten. At about 1 p.m. Wednesday, a worker at the Crystal Springs Orchard on Coleman Creek Road spotted Elkin's body. There was a gash in his head. The Major Assault and Death Investigation Unit was activated, and they immediately began looking for Elkin's yellow Camaro. But it was not to be found. Only Thursday did deputies learn Fire District 5 firefighters had responded to a report that the yellow Camaro had been in an accident Sunday. "It was confirmed as this guy's car, but there was no one around," said Sgt. Richard Fogerty. "Apparently someone in the area had seen a single person walking away from the crash." But then, other witnesses said they saw two men getting into the vehicle Tuesday and driving it away, Fogerty said. Deputies Thursday were interviewing a man and juvenile in connection with the theft of the vehicle. "They saw it in the ditch and a couple days later it was still there and so then they got help to drag it out and started driving it around," Patten said. "It was unrelated to the death, as far as we can tell right now." The car was discovered by an Oregon State Police trooper doing a routine check of vehicles illegally parked at a livestock auction near Vilas and Table Rock Roads, Patten said. No blood was immediately visible inside the car, but deputies were waiting until obtaining a search warrant before completing a full investigation. Elkin was last seen alive on Sunday afternoon. Friends said they saw him in his Camaro in Talent. At the time, he said he was on his way home. Patten did not know why then he ended up in an accident near Phoenix shortly after that Deputies also don't know how or why he ended up dead in the orchard. "We don't have any theories yet about what happened after the accident," Patten said. Deputies are asking anyone with information on Elkin's whereabouts after Sunday afternoon to contact them at 774-6800. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA