A Umatilla County jury has convicted a La Grande man for the 2020 slaying of a man in Hermiston.
The jury Thursday, April 13, found Keith Michael Beridon, 28, of La Grande, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Jesus Eli Lopez, according to state court records. The jury also convicted Beridon of felon in possession of a firearm.
Umatilla County District Attorney Dan Primus said the court sentenced Beridon to a minimum of 25 years in state prison.
Lopez’s body was found June 9, 2020, in his family’s garage, according to news reports. He died from a gunshot.
Primus said Oregon State Police and the local major crimes team helped investigate this case, but the Hermiston Police Department shouldered the burden and did exemplary work to uncover every piece of evidence possible. Detectives, he said, made numerous trips to La Grande to piece together every scrap they could on Beridon.
“I’m amazed at what they did,” he said. “Phenomenal police work.”
