Final suspect in 2023 burglary near La Grande arrested
By Griffin Beach on Thursday, January 15th, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE — A 42-year-old man was arrested last week on a warrant stemming from an investigation into a January 2023 burglary near La Grande.
Joe Nathan Merritt was arrested by the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office on a Union County secret indictment warrant. He faces charges of first-degree burglary, criminal conspiracy, first-degree aggravated theft, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, first-degree criminal mischief, and first-degree theft.
According to an investigation report, Merritt and several co-conspirators burglarized a home on Skyline Lane while the owner was away. The group stole firearms, a dirt bike, a 2016 BMW 320, and various tools and electronics. The total value of the stolen items was $69,335; many were recovered and returned to the owner during the investigation.
Merritt is the final individual involved in the theft to be arrested. His last contact with law enforcement during the investigation occurred Jan. 6, 2023, when he eluded Oregon State Police SWAT and Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team officers during a search warrant execution in Ukiah.
Other conspirators named in the investigation include:
- Erick Paul Kynaston: Arrested Jan. 3, 2023, by Walla Walla police. He was found with the stolen BMW and had used stolen credit cards at Home Depot and Sportsman’s Warehouse
- Lauren Ashley Williamson: Arrested Aug. 16, 2024, on a Union County warrant. She pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, and unauthorized use of a vehicle and was sentenced to three years of supervised probation.
- Heather Ann Estes: Merritt’s former partner who was with him when he eluded officers in Ukiah. She turned herself in Aug. 20, 2024, pleaded guilty to burglary and theft, and received three years of supervised probation.
- Cleve Barry Liston: Identified in the investigation and arrested on unrelated charges in Walla Walla. He denied involvement in the burglary.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Merritt is still being shown in the Umatilla County Jail roster with an in-state hold, as well as multiple failure-to-appear warrants. His bail is listed at $430,000 and he currently has an open case in Umatilla County from July 2023 on charges of eluding and reckless driving.
