Investigators believe 83-year-old Deer Park man was killed during burglary

Investigators believe the 83-year-old man found dead at his Deer Park home the night after Christmas was killed when he encountered a burglar, according to search warrant documents.

Richard Purdy’s girlfriend found Purdy dead around 6:25 p.m. Dec. 26 on his home office floor, according to court documents.

Purdy had multiple stab wounds and died of “sharp and blunt force injuries,” the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office announced. The manner was homicide.

A suspect hasn’t been identified.

Purdy’s girlfriend told investigators she spoke to Purdy on the phone at about 4:30 p.m. that day.

She said Purdy was visiting friends at the time in Deer Park but he agreed to meet her at her house at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. The girlfriend said Purdy, who is typically punctual, never showed up. She called him several times, but he never answered.

The girlfriend told investigators she decided to check on Purdy at his home, 29410 N. Dalton Road, in a wooded area south of Deer Park. She said she found several firearms on the hallway floor before finding her boyfriend dead and calling 911.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies noticed footprints in the blood around Purdy’s body, documents say.

Deputies also noticed a gun safe in Purdy’s office and several firearms on the hallway floor outside his office, like Purdy’s girlfriend mentioned.

They saw several firearms loaded into the bed of Purdy’s red GMC Sierra, which was parked under the carport outside Purdy’s home. Investigators believe the burglar started loading Purdy’s firearms into the pickup but stopped when he encountered Purdy, according to documents.

The friends who were with Purdy before his death told investigators Purdy left their home in his white Toyota RAV4, which was found parked with the interior dome light on under Purdy’s carport near the GMC.

The front window of Purdy’s residence was shattered and blood, which investigators believe came from the assailant, was found in several places inside and outside the home.

Deputies found apparent blood stains on the home’s back doorknob; leading from the rear door to the GMC; on the GMC’s tailgate; on the ground near the pickup; and on multiple rifles in the GMC’s pickup bed.

Evidence suggests the burglar cut himself entering through the broken window and/or while encountering Purdy, documents say. Investigators also found blood on the floor near the front door, which is close to the broken window.

Investigators located dog tracks in fresh snow outside the residence, as well as shoe prints leading to the front door.

About 1 mile from Purdy’s home and about two hours before the 911 call, a “suspicious male” with a briefcase and a dog arrived at a nearby home. The man and his dog began making “unusual statements” to the residents, including asking the elderly couple if they had firearms, documents say. The couple told the man to leave, so he did.

Investigators said in documents fresh shoe prints in the snow outside the couple’s home were similar to the shoe prints outside Purdy’s home.

Investigators are trying to find the suspicious man who is a person of interest, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. The man is described as about 5-foot-10 with an average build, clean-shaven and around 25 years old. He was wearing dark clothing and carrying a briefcase or bag, and was seen with a medium to large dog in the area.

Anyone with information about the person of interest or suspicious activity in the area on Dec. 26 is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 and reference No. 10171903.