Man found dead near Harrah didn't intend to kill himself


Yakima Herald-Republic

 

YAKIMA, Wash. —  Detectives have surmised that a 20-year-old man found dead in a hop field north of Harrah did not mean to inflict a fatal wound when he shot himself.

The body of Salvador Lopez Lopez was discovered Wednesday morning by a farm worker at a hop field off Harrah Road near West Wapato Road. He had been reported missing Sunday to Wapato police.

An autopsy showed he suffered a single gunshot to the chest from a rifle that was found a short distance away. His car was also at the scene.

Lopez sent a text message to an ex-girlfriend indicating he had been shot and was on the way to a hospital, said Stew Graham, chief of detectives for the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.

“It sounds like he had every intention of suffering this wound and then driving to the hospital,” Graham said.

However, the seriousness of the wound leads detectives to believe that Lopez actually shot himself



Commentsicon2
Log in or Register to leave a comment.

Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g., you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason. Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the "report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.

Registered User?