Detective Found Dead After Bizarre Boat Incident

A retired detective from Washington, who had recently been shot while on duty, was discovered dead last Saturday following an unusual incident on a boat.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported that the body of 67-year-old David Easterly was recovered from Flathead Lake in Montana on Tuesday afternoon. It came after he had jumped into the water three days earlier and did not resurface.

His remains were sent to the Montana Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy is planned as the sheriff’s department investigates the cause of death.

In March 2023, Easterly was shot twice while serving eviction notices alongside two deputies in a Seattle neighborhood. The bullets bypassed his protective vest, striking him in the left side and chest.

Authorities determined that the tenant, who later took his own life, fired first. The tenant had barricaded himself inside before firing at the three officers who entered.

Hit in the chest, Easterly believed he was going to die and expressed his love to his partner before being rushed to a hospital. There, he underwent several surgeries and lost a kidney.

During his recovery, he received several blood transfusions, humorously noting that “most of the blood that flows through me doesn’t even belong to me.” He spent an intense seven weeks recovering and lost over 50 pounds.

After regaining his strength, he chose to retire, saying, “No, that’s it, I’m done. I’m a little too old for this game.”

Easterly dedicated 25 years to the King County Sheriff’s Office.