Indiana State Police are seeking the Public’s Assistance in finding a 47-year old male believed to have been involved in a triple homicide on Sunday afternoon near Beck’s Mill, 14 miles West of Salem.
According to ISP Sgt. Jerry Goodin, Richard Lee Burton Jr. is considered armed and dangerous and believed to be trying to reach Tennessee, Missouri or Texas.
Police have had the Beck’s Mill Road area closed much of Sunday evening and an area around the home taped off.
Around 4:30 pm Sunday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department did a welfare check at a residence located at 5882 South Beck’s Mill Road, in rural Washington County.
The welfare check was the result of a phone call with the caller being worried about the well-being of the occupants of the residence.
When a deputy arrived at the residence and upon knocking on the door he noticed a deceased person inside of the residence.
Other police officers arrived at the scene and a search of the residence was completed with officers locating two other bodies inside of the home.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department requested the assistance of Indiana State Police Detectives and Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigators who have assumed the investigation.
At this time, officers are looking for a person of interest in this investigation.
Officers are looking for Richard Lee Burton, Junior, a 47 year old white male.
He has long brown hair, sometimes worn in a ponytail, 5’-09” tall with blue eyes.
Richard Lee Burton was residing at the residence where the crime took place.
Information received during the initial investigation reveals Burton could be involved in the deaths or could know something about the deaths of the three deceased victims inside of the home.
He should also be considered armed and dangerous.
Initial information also leads officers to believe Burton could be enroute to the states of Tennessee, Missouri or Texas.
He is believed to be driving a blue 1997 Dodge Ram 4×4 2500 extended cab pickup truck.
The truck could possibly have a black or dark blue camper shell.
The vehicle should be bearing Indiana license plate, TK641MUK.
If anyone knows the location of Burton or sees him or his vehicle, they should contact 911 immediately.
The identities of the victims and their causes of death will not be released until autopsies are performed in Salem, Indiana.
These autopsies are scheduled for Tuesday morning.
This investigation is continuing with no further information available for release at this time.
