BEND, OR -- Investigators have identified the man found dead Sunday morning, east of Bend. 70-year-old Leonard Peverieri’s body was discovered at his property on Los Serranos Drive.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is releasing very few details. 

“Based on what we saw at the scene, our detectives determined that it was a murder,” Sgt. Jayson Janes says after a search, neighbors were later notified the suspect was likely gone. “We checked the neighborhood with our K9 teams and our SWAT deputies, as well as drones, and our detectives did canvasses of the neighborhood and initially we put out an alert to those in the neighborhood. The suspect is out there somewhere. We just wanted to let the neighborhood know that we didn’t believe the suspect was still in the vicinity of the area.” But Jaynes added, “It’s always good to be vigilant and pay attention to your safety, and make sure that your homes are locked and your cars are locked, and if you observe something suspicious, report it.”

According to property records, Peverieri owned the town of Millican and a number of other properties in the area. 

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office.