The deceased male found in a vehicle in southeastern Monroe County was positively identified as 47 year old, Richard Lee Burton Jr.
Indiana State Police had been searching for Burton in connection with the shooting deaths of a family in the Beck’s Mill area of Washington County.
The preliminary cause of death is a gunshot wound with the manner of death being consistent with suicide, said Monroe County Coroner Joani Shields, MDI.
Shields would not disclose where Burton shot himself or disclose the type of gun. It is also not know whether the gun was the same that was used in killing the family he had been living with West of Salem.
Shields said a final report is pending toxicology testing.
Coroner reports of the three victims were released Tuesday afternoon. According to Washington County Coroner Peg Shell, all three in the Newlin family died from gunshot wounds.
Police believe Burton shot Danny G. Newlin, 58, and his son, Austin, 14, multiple times.
Mother Kelley Kay Newlin, 41, was shot once.
Police came to the home around 4p on Sunday to conduct a welfare check, after a caller from another state contacted police noting that the family might be in danger.
According to Indiana State Police Sgt. Jerry Goodin, “The caller had been in contact with Burton, and based on that conversation felt the family might be in danger.”
Goodin said that contact was last made with the family at about 8p on Saturday night.
The killing happened sometime over the next 24 hours.
Police have not released what type of gun was used, whether or not it was the same gun used by the alleged killer to kill himself or where the bodies were found in the home.
The autopsies were performed in Salem this morning under Shell’s direction.
Goodin said no further information on the incident will be released.
Monday morning shortly after 8:00 am, the Monroe County, IN Sheriff’s Department received a tip that Burton’s vehicle was parked at the Blackwell Horse Camp in Monroe County near State Road #446.
When deputies approached the vehicle they found a body believed to be Burton’s deceased in his vehicle.
This investigation is continuing but, information discovered from Sunday night’s investigation by Indiana State Police Detectives lead investigators to believe Burton was responsible for the deaths of all three victims located inside of the residence at 5882 South Beck’s Mill Road in rural Washington County.
If information is discovered that changes this belief, Indiana State Police Detectives will obviously follow those leads.
