<\/p>\n
A La Plata County Sheriff\u2019s deputy found dead last week was under investigation and resigned from the Sheriff\u2019s Office three days before he was discovered with a gunshot wound in a burning home, according to new information released Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to a news release from the Sheriff\u2019s Office, deputy Jeremiah Lee informed the Sheriff\u2019s Office of a personal situation in his life sometime during the first week of October.<\/p>\n
The Sheriff\u2019s Office did not get into the specifics of the \u201cpersonal situation\u201d but said it required the Sheriff\u2019s Office to launch an administrative investigation. Ultimately, the Sheriff\u2019s Office asked for the assistance of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.<\/p>\n
On Oct. 10 \u2013 three days before Lee was found dead \u2013 the deputy submitted a letter of resignation, effective immediately, to the Sheriff\u2019s Office. The investigation into the \u201cpersonal situation\u201d had not been complete, the release said.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, hours before Lee was found in his burning home, Sheriff Sean Smith requested a Crisis Intervention Team member to check on Lee.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team member made contact with Lee at 9:15 p.m. and reportedly, the conversation went well and the men made arrangements to meet for lunch in the near future,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n
A little after 12:30 a.m. Friday, authorities received a report that Lee\u2019s home at 6491 County Road 516, less than a mile from downtown Bayfield, was on fire.<\/p>\n
Initial reports indicated a man was found inside with a gunshot wound. The man, without a pulse and not breathing, was pulled from the house but was unable to be revived.<\/p>\n
It soon came to light the man was Lee, 42, a lifelong resident of La Plata County and a deputy with the Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
According to the news release, Lee joined the Sheriff\u2019s Office two years ago. Before that, he was with the Durango Police Department for 18 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cJeremiah Lee \u2026 will be deeply missed by all those that knew him,\u201d the release said. \u201cJeremiah was a father, a son, a brother, a friend, and a law enforcement officer that served his community for 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The circumstances of the fire and Lee\u2019s death remain under investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. A spokeswoman with CBI did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.<\/p>\n
Upper Pine River Fire Protection District Bruce Evans said Sunday that more information will be available Wednesday after forensics and an autopsy come back from CBI.<\/p>\n