Welfare Check Turns Up Dead Bodies

"ONTARIO, OR — Malheur County Sheriff's deputies are investigating after two people were found dead in a home northwest of Ontario early Tuesday evening.

"Malheur County Undersheriff Travis Johnson said deputies found the bodies after performing a welfare check at 518 Foothill Drive at 5:31 p.m. Tuesday. They secured the house as a crime scene.

"The Oregon State Police Crime Lab was called from Pendleton, and officers obtained search warrants before re-entering the home.

"Malheur County Sheriff Brian Wolfe said the incident appeared to be a possible murder/suicide or double suicide, but it is not yet clear what actually had happened in the home.

"Johnson said that despite not yet knowing what had transpired, it did not appear from the initial investigation that anyone other than the two people in the house were involved.

"`They [investigators] basically determined that there was no outside influence to what took place in the house,` Johnson said.

"Johnson said both people were residents in the home. Larry Thorndike, 34, and Amy Labeaf, 32, were found to have gunshot wounds.

"Johnson said autopsies will be performed as part of the investigation.

"`We're going to continue the investigation just to make sure we don't miss anything and to cover every base possible and ensure there are no safety issues,` Johnson said."

Source: The Argus Observer...