GRANT COUNTY, Wash. — The death of a 60-year-old Grant County Sheriff's deputy has been attributed to coronavirus.
The Grant County Sheriff's Office announced Deputy Jon Melvin's passing on Dec. 11, 2020. He was found by fellow deputies while they performed a welfare check after family members were unable to reach him, the sheriff's office said.
Sheriff Tom Jones announced Melvin's cause of death in a Facebook post on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.
"I know I speak on behalf of the Sheriff's Office staff by saying this helps us understand Jon's untimely loss, although it still hurts deeply," Jones wrote in the message.
The sheriff's office is also preparing for a public ceremony to honor Melvin in the future, Jones said.
"We will stay the course by sharing our strength and love with Jon's family," he added.
Melvin served for 35 years in law enforcement and was due to retire in 2021 when he reached 36 years of service, according to the sheriff's office. He spent most of his career with the GCSO.
“Deputy Melvin was a well-rounded, highly-skilled deputy whose intelligence was outweighed only by his compassion and willingness to always help others,” Jones said in a press release after his passing. “Jon will be deeply missed.”
