SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 8, 2023
DNA solves Sherman County man’s fate
nearly 60 years after disappearance
Sherman County Sheriff Gerald Lohrey at the re-
covery site in 1989
The fate of a man who ination.
disappeared along The
An examination of the
John Day River in 1964 body determined that the
was finally settled in 2022, bones most likely belonged
thanks to advances in DNA to a Caucasian male, be-
technology.
tween 40 and 50 years of
According to a news age at the time of death,
release by Oregon State Po- and around 5’6” to 5’9”
lice, the remains of a human in living stature. Evidence
skeleton were discovered of compressed lumbar
by a rafting group on the vertebrae by the forensic
Sherman County side of the anthropologist indicated
John Day River on March possible arthritic changes
26, 1989. On March 27, in the bone. It was noted
then-Sheriff Gerald Lohrey that several teeth in the
and additional Sherman mandible exhibited resto-
County Sheriff ’s Office rations. Additional searches
(SCSO) deputies launched of the area were performed
a jet boat at Cottonwood on March 28 and April 8,
Bridge, approximately 13 1989; both searches yielded
miles east of Wasco, and additional small bones and
recovered the incomplete several teeth.
skeletal remains. In addi-
Leads on the possible
tion to many long bones identification of this indi-
that had been half-buried vidual were received by
in silt on the riverbank, a the SCSO in the following
skull was collected with days and weeks; numerous
dental work.
reporting parties indicated
The discovery of the they believed the remains
body made local headlines, to be that of David West, Jr.,
but nothing was imme- a man who had disappeared
diately known about the from Sherman County try-
deceased. The remains were ing to cross the John Day
transported to the Oregon River during a large flood-
State Medical Examiner’s ing event in 1964. West had
Office (SMEO) for exam- lived on a ranch near Bridge
Creek and was known to
cross the John Day often.
He normally went back and
forth across the river to feed
cattle. He and a friend had
even built a makeshift cable
car across the river to assist
in quickly navigating the
waters back and forth over
the John Day.
The day the John Day
River flooded in 1964, West
was thought to be feeding
cattle near Ashwood. A
friend went to check on
him and saw that the cable
car had been washed away,
the large tree that had held
the cable was uprooted, and
West’s dog was injured and
agitated on the bank of the
river. West was never seen
or heard from again.
In 1989, West’s dentist
was consulted, but no con-
clusive identification was
ever made.
The remains were re-
tained by the SMEO. In
2010, the SMEO submit-
ted a bone sample to the
University of North Texas
Center for Human Identi-
fication. The sample was
processed and yielded a
forensic DNA profile for
comparison and upload into
CODIS (Combined DNA
Index System). Unfortu-
nately, no genetic associa-
tions to missing persons or
family reference standards
in the CODIS database
were established.
In April 2022, the
SMEO recognized the ef-
fectiveness of investigative
genetic genealogy on cold
Lexington council
meeting Feb. 14
The Lexington Town
Council will hold a regu-
lar public council meeting
Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 6:30
p.m. at Lexington Town
Hall, 425 F Street, Lex-
ington.
The council will also
A bill that would invite It was then read on the floor hold a public community
Oregon to begin talks with of the House. A full hearing engagement work session
Greater Idaho bill
introduced in Idaho
legislature
the Idaho Legislature about
relocating their state line was
unanimously awarded a bill
number, HJM 1, by the Idaho
House of Representatives’
State Affairs Committee last
week after a short discussion.
January warmer, dryer
than normal
at the Ag Service Building
conference room at 430 W
Linden Way.
Meetings of the Hep-
pner Cemetery Mainte-
nance District are open to
the public. Contact Janet
Greenup at 541-561-6768
with questions.
Conservation and
recreation fund grant
cycle now open
SALEM, Ore.—The
ODFW’s Oregon Conser-
vation and Recreation Fund
request for grant proposals
is now open and will close
on March 27, 2023. Inter-
ested applicants should visit
the OCRF grants webpage
at https://www.dfw.state.
or.us/conservationstrategy/
OCRF/grants.asp.
The maximum allow-
able grant request per insti-
tution and/or organization
is $50,000 per project. Any
public or private nonprofit
may request funds and must
have a tax-exempt status
under the IRS Code Sec-
tion 501(c)(3). Please note
the newly required cap on
institutional/organizational
indirect overhead rates at
20 percent of the requested
project budget as well as the
updated project insurance
for Goal 9 planning prior to
the regular council meeting.
Goal 9 planning is to make
sure cities and counties
have enough land avail-
able to realize economic
growth and development
opportunities. The work
session will begin at 5 p.m.
at Lexington Town Hall.
before the committee was
scheduled for February 13 at
9 a.m.
The bill mirrors a bill
introduced into this session
Temperatures around below normal during Jan-
of the Oregon Legislature by
Heppner averaged slightly uary, totaling 0.43 inches,
Senator Dennis Linthicum.
Cemetery district to
meet
The Heppner Cemetery
Maintenance District will
hold its monthly meeting
on Wednesday, Feb. 15,
at 5:30 p.m. Agenda items
include minutes of previous
meetings, financial report
and cemetery operations.
The meeting will be held
unidentified remains cases
and submitted an additional
bone sample to Othram, a
private DNA lab special-
izing in advanced forensic
DNA testing. Othram uses
an in-house whole genome
sequencing technique that
can provide genetic infor-
mation and possible famil-
ial associations even with
a low-yield sample. The
analysis revealed the name
of two biological relatives
of David West Jr. as being
genetically associated with
the remains.
Both the Gilliam Coun-
ty Sheriff Gary Bettencourt
and the Sherman Coun-
ty Sheriff Brad Lohrey
(the son of Sheriff Gerald
Lohrey) worked to contact
family members; Sheriff
Bettencourt collected oral
swab standards from one
relative, and these were
submitted and tested by
Othram.
The genetic association
was confirmed through
DNA comparison by Oth-
ram in September 2022, and
the family was notified of
the positive identification.
“We are very excit-
ed that such an old case
was able to be solved. It is
amazing what our forensic
teams can accomplish with
modern technology. This
was a case that was a mys-
tery for generations here at
the Sherman County Sher-
iff’s Office. I’m happy that
the family of the deceased
finally has closure,” said
Sheriff Brad Lohrey.
guidelines.
OCRF has supported
more than 90 projects since
forming in early 2020 and
is a way for Oregonians to
support projects that protect
and enhance the species
and habitats identified in
the Oregon Conservation
Strategy and to create new
opportunities for wildlife
watching, urban conserva-
tion, community science
and other wildlife-associ-
ated recreation.
The OCRF Advisory
Committee reviews pro-
posals and provides rec-
ommendations on expendi-
tures from the Fund to the
Oregon Fish and Wildlife
Commission.
More information on
the OCRF can be found at
OregonIsAlive.org.
warmer than normal during
January, according to pre-
liminary data received by
NOAA’s National Weather
Service in Pendleton.
The average tempera-
ture for the month was
37.3 degrees, which was
1.7 degrees warmer than
the normal average tem-
perature for January. High
temperatures averaged 45.7
degrees, with a high of 60
degrees being recorded on
the 14 th . Low temperatures
averaged 28.8 degrees, with
the low of eight degrees
being recorded on the 30 th .
There were 23 days
when the low temperature
was below 32 degrees, and
two days when the high
temperature was less than
32 degrees.
Precipitation was much
Wolf
committee
to meet
The Morrow County
Wolf Depredation Advi-
sory Committee will meet
Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7
p.m. in the Bartholomew
Building Upper Conference
Room in Heppner. The
committee is an advisory
committee to the Morrow
County Board of Commis-
sioners.
The primary agenda
item will be determining
total amounts of 2023 grant
funds for which to apply
and in what categories.
Categories include compen-
sation for missing,
which was 0.89 inches be-
low normal. Precipitation
of at least .01 inch was
reported on one day. That
was 0.26 inches, which
was reported on the third.
Snowfall for the month
totaled one inch, which
was reported on Jan. 3. The
highest snow depth was one
inch, on the third.
A View from the
Hill
By Doris Brosnan
A new administrator
has been chosen for Wil-
low Creek Terrace, and
everyone views that as a big
positive. Leann Lankford
has had over 20 years’ expe-
rience in hospital and clinic
supervision, so is prepared
to add assisted-living to her
resume.
Lankford has joined the
staff in time to enjoy the
Valentine’s Day special lun-
cheon, this year surf-and-
turf with tri-tip and shrimp.
And she will surely enjoy
the apartment decorations
the residents have made.
Tw o m o r e s p e c i a l
lunches this month will be
for the birthday celebrants.
Sharing their menu requests
with neighbors and family
will be Rita Bowman, who
turns 95 on the eighth, and
Alex Camarillo, who will
be a youthful 98 on the 11 th .
February features, as
usual, the Bingo game on
Mondays, which has been
well-attended. Enjoyed on
Fridays are the craft ses-
sions that Jackie Alleman
leads. The second Sundays
of each month are now
offering a non-denomina-
tional service led by Jerry
Conklin, the chaplain of
the Morrow County Home
Health and Hospice service.
Last Wednesday after-
noon, Conklin and Alleman
also offered the first of 13
grief sharing support meet-
ings that will be held at the
Terrace. Persons with ques-
tions about the Wednesday
meetings can call Morrow
County Home Health and
Hospice.
On the seventh, Res-
idents will be offered as-
sistance if they want it for
reaching out to a friend with
a greeting card. On the 12 th ,
a Super Bowl lunch will
precede the big game. On
the 28 th , Cynthia Wenberg
will come to the Terrace to
instruct and assist Residents
with creating floral designs.
As Residents view the
days passing so seemingly
fast, they can also view the
variety of activities offered
at the Terrace as an opportu-
nity to enjoy some of those
days in uncommon ways.
Heppner chamber
switches to quarterly
lunches
Due to member feed-
back, the Heppner Chamber
of Commerce is switching
from monthly to quarterly
chamber lunch meetings.
Lunches will take place
from noon to 1:20 p.m.
at the Gilliam and Bisbee
Event Center. Each lunch
will feature a guest speaker
followed by reports and
networking.
Meeting dates for the
year are April 13, July 13
and Oct. 12. Contact the
chamber of commerce at
541-676-5536 or heppner-
chamber@gmail.com for
more information.
What is Cursillo?
Make a friend, be a friend and bring a friend to
Christ. Come and join us Sunday, February 19th
for an evening of fellowship with your brothers
& Sisters in Christ. A Spaghetti dinner will be
provided. Our evening will begin at 5:00pm as
we gather for dinner at Hopeful Saints Church. If
you know of someone that is interested or curi-
ous about The Cursillo Movement invite them
to join us. We will be sharing information about
Cursillo & this year’s upcoming weekend. We will
also have applications available to work on the
team. If you are reading this and you are curious
about Cursillo please do come and share a meal
with us, there will be plenty for everyone. We do
hope you will join us: February 19th @ Hopeful
Saints Church, (140 Church Street Heppner, OR)
beginning at 5:00PM. Dinner is provided by the
Heppner area 4th Day Group. For further infor-
mation please contact: Diana Sharp 509-781-1028
or George Nairns 541-571-6519 Eastern Oregon
Cursillo Community Mission Statement: Cursillo
is an ecumenical community of faith, love and
hope that supports individuals in our search for
discovery and renewal in Christ.