Missing Man’s Body Found in Grave
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LEONA VALLEY — The body of a missing 61-year-old man was discovered buried in a shallow grave in his own backyard, authorities reported Sunday.
The man was identified as Wellington Chen, who had been reported missing since Dec. 23.
On Saturday, homicide detectives were searching for Chen when they noticed freshly turned dirt near a woodpile at his home in the 13100 block of Elizabeth Lake Road in Leona Valley, a rural area west of Palmdale, said Sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Stoneman.
Detectives dug at the spot and found Chen, who apparently had been shot in the upper body, Stoneman said. The official cause of death will be determined by the coroner’s office.
Chen was reported missing Dec. 28 by his sister, who lives in Canada. The two normally talked weekly, and she had not heard from him for more than a week.
On Thursday, the sheriff’s homicide bureau released a missing person’s flyer on Chen, indicating he had disappeared under suspicious circumstances.
Chen’s green Toyota pickup truck, license number 4X37444, is still missing, Stoneman said.
Authorities declined to release information about a possible motive or suspects in the killing.
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