Human remains found in burned pickup SE of Bend

Human remains were found in a pickup truck destroyed by a fire about 45 miles southeast of Bend Friday afternoon, but Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies working to identify the person and find the fire’s cause said late Saturday they have found no signs of foul play.

Around 1:30 p.m. Friday, the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center notified the sheriff’s office of a truck fire near Mahogany Butte, in an area of sagebrush and trees at the eastern edge of the Deschutes National Forest, Lt. Chad Davis said.

The U.S. Forest Service sent crews who put out the fire, Davis said. A Forest Service law enforcement officer also went to the scene and later determined human remains were in the vehicle, a 2011 Dodge crew-cab pickup of unknown color or license plate.

Sheriff’s detectives and a deputy from the Special Services Unit also responded to join an investigation, assisted by the county medical examiner’s office, Davis said. Due to the late hour, the scene was secured overnight so investigators could return at daylight.

Throughout Saturday, sheriff’s detectives, a medical examiner’s office investigator and an OSP arson investigator collected evidence, working to find the cause of the fire and the person’s identity, the lieutenant said.

“Due to the extreme fire damage to the vehicle and the remains, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office in Clackamas will be assisting in determining the identity of the deceased person in the coming weeks,” Davis said, adding, “Based upon the investigation at this point, foul play is not suspected in this death.”

Sheriff’s detectives will continue the investigation, assisted by the OSP Arson Unit. Davis said more information will be released after the remains are positively identified.