Coroners in Monroe and Washington County will be busy Tuesday determining the cause of death of a suspect and three victims of a Sunday afternoon Triple Homicide in Washington County. 

Bloomington police are saying that a man found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday morning in a Monroe County horse park is believed to be the man suspected of killing three people in a home along Beck’s Mill Road Sunday. 

The body, believed to be that of 47-year-old Richard Lee Burton Jr., was found inside the cab of a truck parked at the Blackwell Horse Camp of the Hoosier National Forest, off East Tower Ridge Road in southeastern Monroe County.

The body was discovered in the Hoosier National Forest at about 8 a.m. this, Indiana State Police said in a news release.

According to ISP Sgt. Jerry Goodin, police believe Burton “was responsible for the deaths of all three victims” found inside the home – including a young boy.

“A man that saw the news accounts happened by and thought that vehicle was the one that police were looking for, and called it in,” Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain said. “It was parked at the end of the parking lot, and backed into a space so a (license) plate wouldn’t be seen.”

Two Monroe County sergeants responded to the horse park, just off Ind. 446.

The Bloomington Police Department’s Critical Incident Response Team was contacted, but then quickly told not to come after all.

The Monroe County coroner was dispatched to the scene, instead.

“Initially, it appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the sheriff said.

The deceased man matches the description of Burton, Monroe County Coroner Joani Shields said.

She will release cause and manner of death, and positive identification, after an autopsy Tuesday in Terre Haute.

Indiana State Police released photographs of Burton and of the extended-cab truck he was believed to be driving, a blue 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 4×4 and even provided the license number.

Police first called Burton a person of interest in the triple homicide investigation, and warned the public he was likely armed and dangerous.

The case started Sunday afternoon when Washington County sheriff’s deputies were called to check on the residents at 5882 S. Beck’s Mill Road. Deputies knocked on the door and saw a dead body in the residence. Two other dead bodies were found by police during a search inside.

Burton had been living with the three victims at the Beck’s Mill Road residence, police said.

The identities of the three victims, and information about their causes of death, will be released after the autopsies Tuesday in Salem, said Goodin. 

About 4:30p Sunday, a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy knocked on the door of a light blue house setting on the eastside of the road at 5882 South Beck’s Mill Road. 

A caller from another state had let the City of Salem Police know that they had spoken with Richard Lee Burton Jr. – who had been living in the home – and was concerned for the lives of the three residents. 

The officer was responding to a call that the residents of the home could be in danger.

As he peered inside, he saw a body and called for backup. 

Over the next 18 hours, emergency personnel and law enforcement officers came together in what Washington County Prosecutor Dustin Howard calls a “tremendous effort” in response to this tragedy — which brings to a total 8 homicides since January. 

“A terrible man recently took the lives of three people in our community, including the life of an innocent boy,” said Houchin. “In an act of cowardice, the man killed himself to avoid being held to account for his deeds.”

Washington County Coroner Peg Schell will release the names of the victims and the causes of death after an autopsy Tuesday morning. 

Houchin wrote the following in a statement released to WSLM this afternoon: 

“I want the people of Washington County to know about the tremendous effort and great work of the law enforcement community in response to this case. 

“Literally, every resource of the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Salem Police Department, The Pekin Town Marshal, the Washington County Coroner’s Office, the Indiana State Police Sellersburg Post, and the local Indiana Department of Natural Resources Office were brought together. 

“We coordinated also with Federal law enforcement agencies, the Indiana Fusion Center, and police agencies across multiple states.  

“As I stood at the crime scene on Sunday night, a whirlwind of activity was taking place from a central staging area: the area was cordoned off and made safe; witnesses were being interviewed by teams of officers, including coordination with detectives interviewing in Missouri; search warrants were being drafted; electronic surveillance was up; crime scene technicians were combing the scene for evidence; and notices were being sent to sister agencies and the public to be on the lookout for an armed and dangerous man. 

“The work occurred rapidly, effectively, and in a cooperative and coordinated way.”

Houchin, who is serving his second term as Prosecuting Attorney, said “A hallmark of Washington County Law Enforcement over the last many years has been how well the various agencies work together.  I am proud of that fact, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the willingness of these men and women to protect our community.” 

“This tragic event leaves us grieving, particularly for the family and friends of the victims.  I hope we never have another experience like it,” he noted. “Rest assured, though, that in the worst of times, our law enforcement is ready, and will answer the call of duty with speed and excellence.”

A phone call from out of state alerted police to the fact that three residents of the Beck’s Mill area might be in danger, according to the Indiana State Police. 

Police searched for 47-year old Richard Lee Burton, Jr. throughout the night. His body was found in the cab of his 1994 Dodge Ram truck near a horse park in Monroe County this morning just after 8a. 

“What we know through our investigation is that Salem Police Department received a phone call on Sunday from a person out of state who had been in contact with Richard Lee Burton Jr.” said ISP Sgt. Jerry Goodin this afternoon after a press conference in Sellersburg. 

“After they had spoken to [Burton], they were concerned for the welfare of the people who were living there at Beck’s Mill,” said Goodin.”

Goodin said the three people were last seen around 8p on Saturday, June 3 and that Burton had been residing in the residence with them. 

“Through the investigation we have learned that the three people were inside along with Burton and living at the residence together,” said Goodin. “We’re not sure the relationship. However, that’s something our detectives are looking at. They are trying to find out exactly why Richard Lee Burton Jr. did what he did. There is absolutely no excuse for what happened. But our investigators are trying to find that out.”

The Salem Police Department contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, who performed a welfare check at 5882 South Beck’s Mill Road at approximately 4:30p Sunday.  

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, who secured the scene overnight and finally left around noon today. 

Washington County Coroner Peg Schell will be performing an autopsy on the three bodies – one believed to be a young boy – Tuesday morning.

The identities and cause of death will be released then. 

The Monroe County Coroner’s office will be releasing a positive identification and cause of death on Burton, said Goodin. 

“We have all indications to believe that it is him,” said Goodin, although police have not made a positive ID on the body found this morning.

Sgt. Goodin said police also believe Burton acted along in the killings. 

“Because of the information we received through the course of our investigation, we’re pretty certain that Burton was responsible [alone] for the killings of the three residents on Beck’s Mill Road,” said Goodin. “However, if we get information that leads us in another way or that there is another person involved, we will pursue that.”