AZ AZ - Ira Eastman, 56, Payson, 15 March 2004

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Ira is no longer missing; his body was found in the East Verde River on April 18. What information the police have released is in the Payson Roundup. He was my brother.
 
I am so sorry to hear that Choirboy. I can't begin to imagine how you must feel. Please know that I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
 
Choirboy,
I am so sorry you and your family are going through this nightmare. Please know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of so many people.
 
choirboy said:
Ira is no longer missing; his body was found in the East Verde River on April 18. What information the police have released is in the Payson Roundup. He was my brother.
Click to expand...

Choirboy, I too am so terribly sorry. I see you haven't posted here before and I hope we will hear from you again. This is an awful tragedy for your family and hopefully you might want to share your feeling's here with us.
Hope you will accept this invitation.

xxxxxxxxxxxxoooo
mama
 
The Payson Police Department and the Gila County Sheriff's Office are following what they call "substantial leads" in the murder of 56-year-old Payson resident, Ira Eastman.

A crime scene technician from the Department of Public Safety lab dusted for fingerprints at Ira Eastman's home on Luke Street last week. Payson Police Lt. Don Engler said investigators are piecing together the physical evidence and conducting interviews to get the the bottom of who murdered the 56-year-old.

"We haven't made any arrests," Payson Police Lt. Don Engler said, "but we have been working quite a few good leads that have allowed us to focus our investigation."

Engler confirmed that Eastman was shot to death prior to being dumped into the East Verde River off Houston Mesa Road.

http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/archive/story/14588
 
Thanks to you all for your kind thoughts. I found this forum while searching for news reports on my brother. I'll post links to all the reports I have to date below.

I'm generally able to keep the investigation and feelings of personal loss separate, so I don't mind discussing either. I am, of course, interested in seeing the person or persons responsible for Ira's death caught and kept from harming anyone else. Even more important, I want people to know what kind of person my brother was, and to celebrate the life of a good, kind and gentle man.

In the coming weeks I'll be putting something together on my personal website, and I'll provide a link for anyone who's interested.

Michael

http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/frontpage_lead/story/14518

http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/frontpage_lead/story/14588

http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/frontpage_lead/story/14693

http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2004/03/19/news/news14.txt

http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2004/04/09/news/news08.txt

http://www.fox11az.com/news/state/stories/KMSB_state_payson_031604.90f0444b.html
 
Choirboy,
Thank you for posting the links. I read the articles, and am glad the LE has leads which will hopefully lead to the arrest of the person(s) responsible. Your brother sounds like a very interesting and kind person. Please keep us posted.
 
There will be more to come, but for now it's just Ira's name and a picture, the last one taken of him:

http://dialoregon.net/newport/family/ira/

I have a number of pictures, gathered and scanned for what turned out to be a wonderful slide show for his Celebration of Life. I'll have to sort it down to a reasonable number of kilobytes, though.
 
choirboy,
I have read all the links and it sounds like they took him with only the intent to kill him. Was anything taken? Was his wallet missing? If it was maybe someone took him to make him withdrawal money, but I really don't get that impression. What about his stepsons? Did they get along? Were they possible of setting this up? The wife? Did she have anything to gain by getting rid of him? I hope my questions don't upset you, but I'm sure they have been asked already. I am so sorry for your loss. I hope they find who did this to your brother.
 
My understanding was that nothing was missing from the house. This happened between 6 and 7 am and his glasses were left on the nightstand, so I doubt that he was even dressed. So far as questions about the family go, of course these are things the police must look into, but I have no such suspicions and prefer not to go there. It doesn't unduly distress me that such questions must be asked; it's just that I have no desire for such thoughts to occupy my mind.

I expect that it may take some time for the Payson PD and Gila County SO to work the case to a conclusion. I hope that the crime scene was handled well, and that they have tenacious investigators.

My main focus, of course, is on taking care of the family and honoring the life and legacy of my brother.
 
choirboy said:
Ira is no longer missing; his body was found in the East Verde River on April 18. What information the police have released is in the Payson Roundup. He was my brother.
Click to expand...

I think you just made an ordinary mistake........I do it all the time. I think he was found In March...........Easy to do. Would you please keep us up-dated.............he sound's like a wonderful person, a wonderful brother.
I think someone in the family is involved. What are your thought's about this?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooo
m,ama
 
Yes, you're correct, Ira's body was found on March 18, three days after he disappeared.

It is highly likely that someone known to the family was involved. I do not personally believe that any family member was involved; however the police are investigating that, as they should.

I will post any new information as it becomes available, as well as more about Ira's life, as I have time. Right now I'm a little busy writing Thank-yous to everyone. We are blessed to have the love and support of many people in both communities.
 
choirboy said:
I've added two more pictures (large files) and improved the formatting:

http://dialoregon.net/newport/family/ira/

More pages to come.
Click to expand...


The picture of Ira as a young child brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful picture. Reminds us he is someone's child. We all start out the same way, as pure, innocent children. What causes some to go so bad that they could take another life?
 
Choirboy, Ira's brother ?????...........for some crazy there is something you don't want to tell us . This was not a stranger but a family killer or friend of the family. Hey, I live in La Jolla, CA, don's care who knows! In a forum like Webseuths we're pretty much in the open. This Forum like this people are all very honest. Dosn't make any difference to me. I'm known all over where I live.............. Your just post here in Websleuth's , who is the heck do you think may have killed your brother??????????
If you want some help from us, then let us know where you coming from!

Edited to add. Nobody walk's into someone's house ........put's them in their car........and goes' out and shoot's them . UNLESS they a have a reason to.
DUH!~
Beside's you Choirboy.........who are his other brothers?


xxxxxxxxxo
mama
 
Yes, I'm Ira Eastman's little brother. I'm quoted in one of the news accounts for which I provided a link. I also provided a link to a page on my personal website. If I'm trying to hide, I'm not very good at it.

As I noted in an earlier post, I ran across this site while doing a search for news reports on my brother, and decided to update the original post that said he was missing. There seemed to be some interest in who Ira was, which I tried to oblige.

This is not a cold case. I'm not interested in interfering with an ongoing investigation, nor engaging in speculation based on third hand information. I've already heard enough wild rumors.
 
Juliana said:
The picture of Ira as a young child brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful picture. Reminds us he is someone's child. We all start out the same way, as pure, innocent children. What causes some to go so bad that they could take another life?
Click to expand...

We put together more than 70 photos of Ira, gathered from family and friends, of his childhood, his years in community theater, his children and the last, very happy years of his life. It all went into a powerpoint-type slide show that was then recorded on a DVD, with The Rainbow Connection as soundtrack. We used it at the Memorial Service, and at a later gathering. It became a beautiful thing, beyond my expectations.

The words from Amour de Mi Alma ...

For you I was born, for you I live,
For you I must die, and for you
I give my last breath.​

... next to his childhood picture, tell me that life has meaning.

I will be adding more of the pictures, as I am able. I'm glad they have meaning for you.
 
choirboy said:
Yes, I'm Ira Eastman's little brother. I'm quoted in one of the news accounts for which I provided a link. I also provided a link to a page on my personal website. If I'm trying to hide, I'm not very good at it.

As I noted in an earlier post, I ran across this site while doing a search for news reports on my brother, and decided to update the original post that said he was missing. There seemed to be some interest in who Ira was, which I tried to oblige.

This is not a cold case. I'm not interested in interfering with an ongoing investigation, nor engaging in speculation based on third hand information. I've already heard enough wild rumors.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to sound so hard choirboy......It's just that I can't find too much new's about what's going on in the investigation, it is a small town, and possibly LE are just keeping thing's quiet. That happen's all the time.
Let me ask you one thing. Do you think that LE (law enforcement) may have any suspects? Did you're brother have a will that you know of? Don't have to answer unless you want to. I'm looking for motive...........
xxxxxxxxo
mama
 
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