Man found dead, investigators call death 'suspicious'
SALEM, Ore. – The Marion County Sheriff's Office has started an investigation after a man was found dead in SUV on the side of a road in Salem Friday morning.
Marion County Sheriff's Office spokesman Don Thompson would not say exactly how the man died, but he called the death "suspicious." The Homicide Assault Response Team is involved in the investigation.
Officers found the dead man after responding to a call for a welfare check on a possible stranded motorist in a vehicle on the side road at about 1:15 a.m.
As of Friday afternoon, investigators were still trying to confirm the man's identity.
Thomson said the vehicle was parked and running with the emergency flashers activated when it was located by a deputy 4 minutes after the call came in. Sr. Deputy Jason Hickman found the driver slumped over and deceased, according to a press release issued Friday morning.
The sheriff's office said that due to the nature of the man's death and the ongoing investigation, the cause of death has not been released but an autopsy is planned for Friday.

















































