A joint investigation by Oregon State Police (OSP), Ontario Police Department (OPD) and FBI is continuing into the April 10, 2014 Bank of the West branch in Ontario. The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, witnessed by an Ontario police officer, after stopping on the side of an area road south of Ontario. The deceased suspect's name is released in this update. Investigators have exhausted all available means to try and find relatives and is asking the public for information to help find next of kin.
The deceased suspect is identified as JOSEPH THOMAS JOHNSTON, age 71. JOHNSTON's last known residence was in Mohave Valley, Arizona, where he reportedly lived alone in a mobile home park. He left his residence March 1, 2014, in his 1987 Dodge pickup enroute to an unknown location in the Pacific Northwest to see a friend named "Paul" who was reported ill and being cared for by the friend's daughter.
Investigators learned JOHNSTON was diabetic and his pickup contained ten oxygen tanks used to help him with personal medical problems. He is described as a white male, 5'10", 200 lbs, with grey hair. He had no tattoos. Three photographs of JOHNSTON dated 2012, 2010, & 2007 are provided with this release to help locate next of kin.
JOHNSTON is reported to have ties in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, and Florida. Investigators don't know if he has any siblings and unconfirmed information indicates his parents are deceased and he may have been married in the past.
OSP, OPD and FBI are being assisted by Ada County, Idaho Coroner's Office. Anyone with information to help locate next of kin is asked to call OSP Detective Javier Marquez at (541) 889-6469 ext. 752 or email Javier.marquez@state.or.us.
Most recent information release regarding the April 10th incident is available on our website at:
http://www.oregon.gov/osp/NEWSRL/Pages/news/04_14_2014_update_ontario_bankrobbery_death.aspx
Photograph - Oregon State Police
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###
The deceased suspect is identified as JOSEPH THOMAS JOHNSTON, age 71. JOHNSTON's last known residence was in Mohave Valley, Arizona, where he reportedly lived alone in a mobile home park. He left his residence March 1, 2014, in his 1987 Dodge pickup enroute to an unknown location in the Pacific Northwest to see a friend named "Paul" who was reported ill and being cared for by the friend's daughter.
Investigators learned JOHNSTON was diabetic and his pickup contained ten oxygen tanks used to help him with personal medical problems. He is described as a white male, 5'10", 200 lbs, with grey hair. He had no tattoos. Three photographs of JOHNSTON dated 2012, 2010, & 2007 are provided with this release to help locate next of kin.
JOHNSTON is reported to have ties in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, and Florida. Investigators don't know if he has any siblings and unconfirmed information indicates his parents are deceased and he may have been married in the past.
OSP, OPD and FBI are being assisted by Ada County, Idaho Coroner's Office. Anyone with information to help locate next of kin is asked to call OSP Detective Javier Marquez at (541) 889-6469 ext. 752 or email Javier.marquez@state.or.us.
Most recent information release regarding the April 10th incident is available on our website at:
http://www.oregon.gov/osp/NEWSRL/Pages/news/04_14_2014_update_ontario_bankrobbery_death.aspx
Photograph - Oregon State Police
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###