SPOKANE, Wash. — Editor's note: Any earlier version of this story used the word 'dismembered' to describe the state of the victim's body. Spokane Co. Sheriff's Office officials clarified with media outlets that this word may not accurately describe the condition of the body.
The Spokane Co. Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspicious death after deputies found a man dead in his backyard at a home on S. Park Lane.
The Spokane Co. Medical Examiner identified the deceased as 61-year-old Rex. C. Porter on Tuesday.
Court documents said Porter's body was found badly burned and in pieces near a fire pit. Documents did not offer any specifics into how Porter's body ended up this way.
A caller reported a vehicle with its door left open parked in the front yard of the home for two days on Saturday morning. The garage door had also been left open, according to the sheriff’s office.
The caller told authorities he hadn’t seen any activity or people in the house, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office. The caller also told authorities that an older adult homeowner who cares for a younger disabled adult lives at the house.
When deputies arrived, they looked through a front window and found broken glass on the floor and other items in disarray. They announced their presence but received no response, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputies entered the home that smelled of animal feces and urine, the post said. While they searched the residence, they found a nonverbal, vulnerable man, later identified as Porter's son, in poor hygienic condition in a basement bedroom, according to the sheriff’s office. His son was not arrested.
Deputies said they got Porter's son medical attention and took him to a hospital, where he will stay since he is unable to care for himself.
Deputies then found the remains of Porter in the backyard of the house and secured the scene, according to authorities. Major Crimes Detectives assisted by Forensic Unit personnel were called to the scene to continue the investigation once authorities obtained a warrant.
Spokane County Sheriff's Spokesman Corporal Mark Gregory said search warrants are requested in possible criminal investigations and must state a crime. He said with the cause and manner of death unknown, a search warrant was needed to conduct an investigation into Porter's death and the potential crime being investigated was listed as homicide. He said the suspicious death investigation continues because facts and evidence have not answered those questions.
While deputies were on scene, court documents said a neighbor told them on March 31 around 5:30 p.m. there were two dogs barking just outside of Porter's fence on the neighbors property. The neighbor said he thought the dogs may have belonged to the Porters so he drove to the home to tell them to quiet their dogs. The neighbor rang the doorbell three times and there was no answer. He said there were no cars in the driveway at the time.
According to court documents, investigators are also reviewing surveillance video from the home to help determine what led to his death.
Investigators are considering this a suspicious death at this time and no arrests have been made.