Suspect wanted in Redmond fatal shooting arrested after standoff, use of tear gas and DCSO K-9’s bite
(Update: Suspect arrested early Sunday after standoff)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Redmond transient sought in last week’s shooting death of another man near a homeless camp off East Antler Avenue was arrested early Sunday after a several-hours standoff ended with tear-gas deployment and the bite of a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office K-9.
Redmond police and the Central Oregon Major Incident Team had warned the public to be on the lookout for Keith Nolen, 49, who they warned should be considered armed and dangerous.
He was wanted in last Tuesday’s fatal shooting of River Feldmiller, a 26-year-old transient who was found deceased in the passenger seat of a 2017 Ford F-250 pickup near East Antler Avenue and SE 11th Street, Lt. Eric Beckwith said.
Nolen was located late Saturday night in a travel trailer north of Highway 126 and east of the NE Ninth and Antler Avenue intersection, the lieutenant said.
Nolan refused to surrender to law enforcement, so after several hours of attempted negotiation, the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team “introduced chemical irritants into the trailer, attempting to gain compliance and surrender,” Beckwith said in a news release.
DCSO K-9 Ronin was deployed, and Nolen was bitten by the dog. He received medical attention for the dog bite after being taken into custody and was booked into the county jail in Bend on charges of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and an outstanding warrant. He was being held without bail pending arraignment.
“The investigation and capture of Mr. Nolen is a credit to the collaborative work of the Major Incident Team, DCSO SWAT and CERT,” Beckwith said.
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Earlier info:
Redmond police responded around 8 a.m. last Tuesday to a 911 dispatch call of a possible gunshot victim in the area of East Antler Avenue and SE Ninth Street, Lt. Eric Beckwith said.
Responding officers found a deceased man in the passenger seat of a 2017 Ford F-250 pickup truck, he said.
“The initial investigation yielded evidence which indicated the man’s death was suspicious,” Beckwith said.
The deceased male has been identified as River Feldmiller, a 26-year-old transient, Beckwith said.
The Major Incident Team has identified a suspect and is searching for Keith Nolen, 49, who Beckwith described as a transient who has been living east of Redmond.
"Mr. Nolen should be considered armed and dangerous," Beckwith said. "If you have any information on the whereabouts of Mr. Nolen, please contact Deschutes County 911 immediately at 541-693-6911. "
Court records show Nolen, with a Prineville post office box, pleaded guilty in 2022 to first-degree theft and charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle and second-degree criminal mischief were dismissed. He was sentenced to five days in jail, later amended to 30 days for probation violation, and two years probation.
Nolen, still listing a Prineville address, pleaded guilty in July 2023 to one of four counts of fleeing or attempting to elude police and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and a 90-day drivers license suspension.
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Earlier story:
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Redmond police and Central Oregon’s Major Crimes Team are investigating an apparent homicide near a homeless camp off East Antler Avenue, police confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
Police Public Information Officer Lt. Eric Beckwith said he could only provide limited initial details and had no new information he could share yet Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, Beckwith told NewsChannel 21: “Early this morning, Redmond police officers were dispatched to a call in the area of East Antler and Ninth Street. The call entailed a serious person crime, but after the officers responded, an initial assessment was made. Detectives were called out. That case is now being investigated as a homicide. Information we have right now is that that homicide is contained to the persons involved, and we don't have an immediate need to alert the public to an immediate danger.”
Earlier, Beckwith told NewsChannel 21 investigators “believe it’s isolated to the people involved” and police are "not asking the public for help at this point with anything.”
However, Beckwith said, “We do not have anybody in custody.”
The lieutenant said police were asking people to avoid the area between Ninth and 12th Streets on Antler Avenue, east of Highway 97 while the investigation was underway.
The Major Crimes Team investigation has been ongoing for several hours, Beckwith confirmed, with a command post established and more investigators still arriving to assist. The Oregon State Police Forensics Lab was assisting in gathering evidence and information.
Redmond Police say as they work through the evidence they’ve gathered, they’ll release more details to the public.
