Lewiston police seek answers after body found in burned-out pickup truck

The Lewiston Police Department is investigating the discovery of a body in a burned-out pickup truck early Friday morning as a suspicious death.

Police responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Nez Perce Drive east of Juniper Drive at approximately 3:20 a.m., according to Capt. Jeff Klone. Upon arrival, officers found a 2007 GMC pickup truck fully engulfed in flames.

The body was discovered after the Lewiston Fire Department responded and put out the fire, Klone said in a news release. Detectives on the scene gathered information that led police to respond to a home in the 1800 block of 12th Avenue around 6:30 a.m. that may be a possible address for a subject connected to the burned pickup truck.

Officers closed that block of the street for several hours and eventually used the department’s SWAT team to make entry into the home because of the nature of the initial call and information from the scene, Klone said. The home turned out to be unoccupied.

“At this time, the subject in the vehicle has not been identified and the Nez Perce County coroner arrived on scene to take possession of the remains,” Klone said in the news release. “The case is being actively investigated as a suspicious death by the Lewiston Police Department. At this time, we do not believe there is any danger to the public and this was an isolated incident.”

Police are asking anyone who may have information about the vehicle fire or saw something suspicious during the early morning hours Friday in the area of Nez Perce Drive and Juniper Drive to call (208) 746-0171 and speak to Detective Brian Erickson.