Charles Gardiner, the interim chief of the Cowlitz Tribal Public Safety Department, died last week of an apparent suicide, and now a criminal investigation into Gardiner has been openend as authorities suspect he committed sex offenses against a juvenile victim

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has split a recent incident into two investigations — the apparent suicide of Charles Gardiner, the interim chief of the Cowlitz Tribal Public Safety Department, and now a criminal investigation into several sex offenses believed to have been committed by Gardiner against a juvenile victim.

On April 23, deputies with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a residential burglary in the 9000 block of NE 79th Street in Vancouver. The caller reported a male subject inside the residence. The male suspect fled the residence on foot.

As deputies and other law enforcement officers searched the area, they located a vehicle with a deceased person inside. That person matched the subject’s description. 

Later, CCSO confirmed the deceased person was Gardiner.

On Thursday, May 1, the CCSO released an update in a flash alert to the public:

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the death and the circumstances regarding this incident.
There is no indication that this was a residential burglary. The Sheriff’s office has split the incident into two investigations: the death investigation and a criminal investigation.

Evidence of Gardiner’s death is consistent with a suicide. The evidence suggests he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The sheriff’s office has opened a criminal investigation into several sex offenses believed to have been committed by Gardiner against a juvenile victim, the alert said. 

Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation, additional details will not be released at this time.

The information for this report was provided by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.