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Lemhi Sheriff: I just pray little DeOrr will be found

4,219 views · Published 29 January 2016 · 10:14 · Indexed 4 November 2026

Channel: East Idaho News · 2016 · News & Politics

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The Sheriff of Lemhi County sat down with EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton this week to discuss the DeOrr Kunz, Jr. missing child case.

Sheriff Lynn Bowerman says he has no idea where DeOrr is but he believes the child is dead and his parents, DeOrr Kunz, Sr. and Jessica Mitchell, know what happened.

Bowerman also discussed inconsistencies in the case, polygraph tests, and where the investigation goes from here.

Here's a transcript of our in-depth conversation.

Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com reporter: Let's go back to Monday.  You announced that DeOrr Kunz, Sr. and Jessica Mitchell are suspects.

Sheriff Lynn Bowerman, Lemhi County:They were the top persons of interest but I believe they are suspects.  (The decision was reached) after an extensive week of interviewing, re-interviewing and an announcement from the FBI that they were being less than truthful on their polygraphs.  Plus there are a lot of irregularities and discrepancies in their interviews (so) I felt it was necessary to come forward and say the parents are being less than truthful.

Eaton:Where have they been inconsistent?  Can you go through a few examples?

Bowerman:Our timeline has constantly changed.  A lot of small facts - things that should be important to them, important in their memory - have changed.  From who made the decision to do what or who cooked that morning or who took a fishing pole down to the creek - just minor changes like that constantly changing.

Eaton:Are Isaac and Grandpa (Robert Walton) still considered persons of interest?

Bowerman: Their polygraphs were inconclusive, which we figured from the get go was probably going to be the case, so I still can't rule them out.

Eaton: But the focus of the investigation is steering toward the parents?

Bowerman: I believe so.

Eaton: What has their reaction been since Monday?  Are you communicating with them?

Bowerman:  I'm not personally.  Most of the communication has been from Bonneville County detectives because they're down in the area where the family and the friends live.  They have helped us extensively on the investigation.  All along (the parents) have been very cooperative and met with us but when confronted with the irregularities and the being less than truthful, they haven't changed their story.

Eaton: I would imagine they've been questioned separately, together - any variety of ways.

Bowerman: I don't believe they've been questioned together for quite a while.  The first time we questioned them they were probably together, I assume they were together, but I think everything after that has been separate.

Eaton: What do you think happened?

Bowerman: I have no clue.  Absolutely no clue.  There's a lot of things I could speculate but I really don't want to go there.  I don't want to have to apologize for making a statement that wasn't true.  I want to get it right.

Eaton: Where do you go from here?

Bowerman: We've asked the public to come forward. I had four or five telephone calls this morning from individuals who either know Mom and Dad and the child and have seen them either interact in the past or they've overheard something or they think they can provide information.  We just ask the public to come forward with any information that might be helpful either on the parents and/or on little DeOrr. Even if they think it's insignificant, give us a chance to take a look and see if we can solve this.

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