Missing man found in NW Bend
A missing visitor to Bend with Asperger syndrome, the subject of a search by Bend police and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue late Sunday night, ended with him turning up in good condition at a Broken Top residence Monday morning, officers said.
Sgt. Tom Pine said a Broken Top resident reported finding Michael LeCoump on the front porch of their home around 6:45 a.m. He was in good condition, has been returned to his family and is heading home, Pine said.
LeCoump had last been seen around 6 p.m. Sunday evening in the Northwest Crossing-Mt. Washington Drive area of northwest Bend, said sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Dozier, SAR operations manager.
Late Sunday night, a woman living in the area reportedly came home to find a man she did not know and apparently matching LeCoump’s description, asleep in a bed. But by the time police arrived, he apparently left out a back door to the bedroom that leads outside.
LeCoump was described as 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, with dirty blonde hair and a beard. He last was seen wearing a dark blue T-shirt with white writing on it that says “Timberland,” a black button-up jacket, blue jeans and blue shoes.
Bend police Sgt. John Lawrence told NewsChannel 21 early Monday that LeCoump is not from the area. He also said police were almost certain he was the man the woman came home to find sleeping in her bed.
Asperger syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. It can lead to difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and clumsiness.
