Farm worker found dead in Mattawa canal

Man shot to death

MATTAWA - The Grant County Sheriff's Office is investigating the homicide of a Mattawa farm worker whose decomposing body was found in a canal this week 12 miles east of town.

The identity of Juan Artega-Esquivel, 23, was released Thursday by Grant County Coroner Jerry Jasman.

In an autopsy completed this week, it was learned Artega-Esquivel died of a single gunshot wound to the head, Jasman said. The case is being treated as a homicide and the time of death is still under investigation, he said.

Artega-Esquivel is believed to have worked as a farm worker in Mattawa and was previously deported to Mexico, Jasman said.

Artega-Esquivel is survived by his wife in Mattawa.

Artega-Esquivel was found Tuesday night in a canal by an irrigation district worker, Grant County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Courtney Conklin told the Columbia Basin Herald Thursday.

The canal is located off state Route 24 near Military Road.

The sheriff's office didn't immediately release the information about the body to media because of the ongoing investigation, which is currently "hot," he said.

Conklin said it appeared that Artega-Esquival was lying in the canal for a couple of weeks.

Jasman said Artega-Esquivel's body started to decompose.