Death of Hermiston man considered homicide

HERMISTON, Ore.-- The Umatilla County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a Hermiston man as a homicide.

According to a press release, dispatchers got a call at about 9:37 a.m. about a body northeast of Hermiston. Deputies arrived and located a man's body next to an irrigation ditch off of Alpine Drive north of Punkin Center Road.

The man was identified as Doleon Crandall, 28, from Hermiston.

Deputies say the Umatilla-Morrow County Major Crimes Team is leading the death investigation. They say evidence at the scene leads them to believe the man may have been murdered.

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.