Shoe prints in snow lead to Bend trespass suspect

Many Bend backyards don’t have much snow left in them – but two had enough to find shoe prints in the snow, which led to a transient arrested on criminal trespass charges and two outstanding warrants, police said Friday.

Around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a resident reported finding shoe prints in the snow in his back yard on NE Sharkey Terrace, south of Neff Road and west of 27 th Street, indicating someone had been walking in his backyard some time during the night, said Officer West Murphy. Officers unable to find anyone.

Just over two hours later, another area resident also reported finding shoe prints in the snow in his back yard, nearby on NE Paula Drive, Murphy said. That suspect had entered the back yard through one closed gate and left through another, he added.

Responding officers determined the same person had entered another back yard on Paula Drive, also through a closed gate, the officer said.

Officers were able to follow the suspect’s shoe prints in the snow, which led to a vacant lot on NE Watt Way, Murphy said. The shoe prints led to a small transient camp on the lot, where they found Nicholas Loran Husted, 23, who was wearing shoes that matched the shoe prints.

Police learned Husted had two outstanding warrants for his arrest in Deschutes County.

Murphy said officers found no evidence of Husted committing any thefts or burglaries while trespassing in the area, but the investigation is continuing.

Husted was taken to the Deschutes County Jail, where he remained held without bail Friday on the outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants for parole and probation violation, as well as three counts of second-degree criminal trespass.