Body found may be that of missing Soap Lake man

GRANT COUNTY — Authorities have found a body they assume to be that of a Soap Lake man who disappeared last spring.

Michael Mallon, 79, was last seen in Soap Lake in March. Grant County Sheriff's Deputy John Turley said authorities found something suspicious in the last few days, and recovered a body Thursday evening. Turley said the body was fully clothed.

The body was recovered about 200 feet west of Mallon's residence on Mallon's property. Mallon's residence is located in the Grant County Ranches area near Willow Lakes.

Grant County Sheriff's Deputy John Turley said the grave site was excavated by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab out of Spokane. The excavation was completed at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Turley said the body has been turned over to the coroner, and will be turned over to doctors Monday for an autopsy and identification.

Turley said that WSP investigators assume the body had been buried for six to seven months.

Turley said that at this point the GCSO does not have a suspect in the case, but does have a few people of interest.

Mallon's home was burglarized the same weekend as his disappearance. Stolen were a number of World War II vintage firearms, memorabilia, coins and a generator. The sheriff's office said previously that most of the stolen items have been recovered.

Authorities arrested 20-year-old Dustin Abrams of Moses Lake after the weapons were recovered at another residence during a drug raid. A person at that residence told police he obtained the weapons from Abrams, who he said stole them from Mallon.

Abrams was convicted on June 8 in Grant County Superior Court of four counts of theft of a firearm, first-degree theft and second-degree theft. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Abrams entered an Alford plea in the case, which meant he did not acknowledge his guilt but did acknowledge that enough evidence existed to convict him.