On December 12, 2023, a homicide investigation began in Coos Bay, Oregon, following the discovery of a body in the parking lot of the Umpqua Dairy facility at 2640 Ocean Boulevard. The victim was identified as 56-year-old William Averill of Coos Bay after next of kin notification was made.
The incident occurred early in the morning, with police receiving a call at 6:24 a.m. and arriving on the scene just three minutes later. Averill was found deceased from an apparent gunshot wound.
Initial investigations suggested that the shooting might have occurred shortly before the police were called.
During the investigation, police located Averill's vehicle, a silver 2003 Dodge Dakota pickup with Oregon plate ZJM817, parked along Highway 38 approximately five miles west of Elkton. Initially, Jason Lynn Crouch, a 47-year-old with ties to the Portland area, was identified as a person of interest, but he later made contact with the police and was no longer considered a person of interest.
The investigation revealed that Averill and two others had gone to the residence of Kelton Dickens in North Bend, where they attempted to rob him. This incident involved drug dealing activities. After the robbery attempt, Averill and the other two men tried to drive away, but Dickens grabbed a gun and shot at their vehicle, wounding Averill. The group then drove to the Umpqua Dairy Facility, where they left Averill on the ground before flagging down an off-duty sheriff's department employee for help. By the time paramedics arrived, Averill had succumbed to his injuries.
Kelton Dickens, a 30-year-old from North Bend, was arrested on January 4, 2024, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence. He was initially charged with second-degree murder but later pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. Dickens's defense argued that he acted out of self-defense, believing the group would return and cause further harm. He was sentenced to 75 months in prison and ordered to pay Averill's funeral costs of $1,800.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Coos Bay Police Department, Oregon State Police, Coos County Major Crimes Team, and the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team. The case was ultimately resolved with Dickens's conviction, and it was determined to be an isolated incident with no ongoing risk to the community.
