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Last updated on Monday, June 5, 2017
(BLOOMINGTON) - The man police say is responsible for the murder of three residents in Washington County was found dead in his vehicle Monday morning.
Police were searching for 47-year-old Richard Lee Burton Jr. since discovering the bodies on Sunday afternoon.
Monday morning shortly after 8 a.m. the Monroe County 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 person believed to be that of Burton, Jr. deceased in his vehicle.
The official confirmation of identification will be made by the Monroe County Coroner's Office along with cause of death.
This investigation is continuing but information discovered from Sunday night's investigation by Indiana State Police Detectives lead investigators to believe Burton, Jr. was responsible for the deaths of all three victims located inside of a home 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.
The information on the identities and causes of death to the three bodies located on Beck's Mill Road will not be released until the autopsies are completed in Salem Tuesday morning.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Jerry D. Goodin will hold a news briefing at the Indiana State Police Post in Sellersburg at 12:30 p.m. Monday.
Earlier:
Around 4:30 p.m. 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, (approximately fourteen miles from the City of Salem).
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 home and knocked on the door he noticed a deceased person inside of the residence.
Other police officers arrived at the scene and after a search of the home, officers located two more bodies inside the residence.
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 47-year-old Richard Lee Burton Jr., a suspect in the crimes.
Burton is a white male with long brown hair, sometimes worn in a ponytail. He is 5'-09" tall with blue eyes.
Police say Burton was living at the home where the murders happened. Burton could be involved in the deaths or know something about the deaths of the three victims. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Initial information also leads officers to believe Burton could be en route to 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 Richard Lee Burton, Jr. 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. These autopsies are scheduled for Tuesday morning.
This investigation is continuing with no further information available for release at this time.
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