Sheriff’s Office investigating suspicious ‘double death’ on farm road west of Modesto
The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a “suspicious double death” on a rural road west of Modesto.
Deputies were sent to the 1000 block of Hart Road for a security check at about 7:53 p.m. Sunday. A man and a woman had not been heard from for several days, according to a Sheriff’s Office release. The area is about eight miles west of downtown Modesto.
Deputies found the man and woman dead. Detectives with the Major Crimes Unit were called in to take over the investigation.
The deceased were identified as 46-year-old Steven Whiteside of Modesto and 42-year-old Cory Rife of Waterford.
“The Sheriff’s Office respectfully asks for the community’s patience while we await the results of a forensic autopsy and further toxicology laboratory test results. More can and will be shared at a later time,” read the release.
Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact Detective Dustin Espinoza at 209-652-0437. Anonymous tips may be left by calling Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636 or going to www.stancrimetips.org. Tipsters could be eligible for a cash reward.
This article will be updated as information is available.
