**update 9/20/19****
On September 19, 2019 the deceased subject located on property on Widow Creek Road in Otis, OR and presumed to be the remains of missing person Cameron Shelden, was examination by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office.  It was determined that he suffered a gunshot to the head consistent with a .45 caliber bullet. Due to the advanced state of decomposition of the body, the OSME is continuing the examination. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office detectives located a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and single .45 caliber shell casing where the body was recovered.     Â
Positive identification of the body is still being determined and the death investigation continues.
On September 14, 2019 the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, along with members of Lincoln County Search and Rescue, and the Lincoln City Police Department, resumed searching a property on Widow Creek Road for missing person Cameron Shelden.Â
Searchers utilized drone technology and dogs trained to detect human remains and excavation assistance from the Lincoln County Road Department. The search was done with the consent of the property owner. The team searched extensively in the large area of difficult terrain and heavy brush, but Mr. Shelden was not located.Â
On the morning of September 17, 2019, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the property owner advising a deceased subject was located on the property. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives responded to the property and were directed to a location outside of the area previously searched with the excavation equipment. Detectives located the remains of a highly decomposed subject in dense vegetation. The subject was presumptively identified as missing person Cameron Shelden.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s requested the Oregon State Police Forensics Services Division respond for scene processing. More forensics analysis will be conducted. The case remains as an open death investigation.