Body of murdered man identified as a Yuman

A body found over the weekend in Winterhaven has been identified as 25-year-old Yuma resident Adrian Chee.

Sgt. Anthony Brewer of the Imperial County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday the cause of death has officially been ruled as “homicide by gunshot wounds.” An autopsy was performed on Tuesday.

Chee's body was found Sunday by hunters in an area of overgrown brush and weeds, just a couple hundred feet away from San Pasqual School, south of Ironwood Drive and San Pasqual School Road.

Brewer said he could not release many details about the case due to the ongoing investigation, but he confirmed Chee had been shot once in the chest and once in the neck.

“We are currently following up on some leads,” Brewer said.

It is not known whether Chee was killed where his body was found or if it had been left there. Brewer could also not confirm when the murder happened, although it may have been Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Shortly after the body was found Sunday, ICSO deputies asked the public for help in identifying the man.

Deputies described the victim as in his early 20s, between 5 feet 0 and 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 220 pounds. He was bald with a small patch of hair under his lip.

Chee was dressed in tan Dickies pants and a brown polo-type golf shirt with yellow and white horizontal stripes. He had a black muscle shirt wrapped around his neck. According to deputies, he was also wearing white tennis shoes made by the brand 310.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to call the Imperial County Sheriff's Office at (760) 339-6301.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.