BREAKING NEWS: Bowles found dead in cell this morning

By Terry Murry on Saturday, January 9th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – David Lee Bowles, 43, died while in custody at Umatilla County Jail. He was a suspect in the death of his wife, Marlen Bowles, in Heppner last month. The Oregon State Police, at the request of the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, had taken over the shooting investigation and took Bowles to the jail Thursday evening.

The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office confirms that Bowles’ body was discovered during early morning rounds at the jail today (Saturday). There was no apparent cause of death and no obvious evidence of foul play. The family has been notified and the body has been released to a mortuary. UCSO will continue to investigate the cause of death.

Bowles surrendered voluntarily at the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office after OSP had been looking for him as a person of interest in the shooting that occurred on Dec. 15. He was charged with first-degree manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a weapon.

Morrow County District Attorney Justin Nelson had planned to present the case to a grand jury, probably on Thursday, and present a true bill on charges based on that jury’s findings to Morrow County Superior Court on Friday, Jan. 15.

Nelson pointed out that it was totally up to the grand jury whether charges against Bowles would stand, be amended, or be dropped altogether. He was being defended by Blue Mountain Defenders. His bail had been set at $1 million.