Man dies in domestic incident

EPHRATA – He didn't say suicide, but Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison said a 22 year old Leavenworth man died on June 20 of a self-inflicted knife wound during a domestic violence incident.

Morrison made his determination after an autopsy on June 21.

On the 20th, officers responded at around 2 p.m. to a call from a female saying there was a domestic violence assault at a residence at 644 2nd Ave. NW. They found an adult female and child outside the home and a man inside the home holding a knife and bleeding from the chest.

The man, identified as Craig Dempsey, was subdued by several officers and transported to Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata, where he died a short time later. Morrison ruled the cause of death as a self-inflicted stab wound to the chest.

There was history between the two adults. A protection order was in place ordering Dempsey to have no contact with the female living at the home. Police had responded to previous incidents at that home regarding domestic violence assaults, Det. Sgt. Brian Jones said.

The Columbia Basin Investigative Team is looking further into the incident. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Brian Jones at 509-764-3887.