Sad update: Searchers find missing Bend woman’s body

(Update with woman’s body found by searchers)

A search for a missing Bend woman that covered about 500 acres northwest of the city ended sadly Saturday morning with the discovery of her body, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

The agency had turned to the public for assistance Friday in search of any clues to the whereabouts of Susan P. Lewis, 60, whose car was reported by a citizen on Thursday to have been left parked several days in the area of Sisemore and Couch Market roads, northwest of Bend.

Sheriff’s deputies, assisted by the county Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers and a Crook County Search and Rescue K-9 team, continued searching the area where the car was found.

Around 10 a .m. Saturday, SAR crews found her body, said sheriff’s Sgt. William Bailey. Sheriff’s detectives and a deputy medical examiner responded to the scene.

Bailey said their investigation indicated Lewis died of an apparent self-inflicted injury, and her death did not appear to be suspicious in nature, but remained under investigation.

“Our thoughts are with Ms. Lewis’ family and friends,” Bailey said in a news release. “We would like to thank every member of the community that shared information on social media or called dispatch with information.”