By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
11-28-2009

Bishop resident Morgan Wade Kinney, Jr., 21, was arrested Thursday night for alleged murder. The name of the victim is still being withheld pending notification of  next of kin.
Inyo County sheriff’s deputies responded to a disturbance and ambulance request at 299 N. Barlow Ln. Sheriff Investigator Jeff Hollowell said in a press release, “upon arriving on scene, we located a male subject with blunt force trauma to the head; the suspect was lying close in proximity and was apparently passed out.”  Deputies arrested Kinney without incident.
Sources who wished to remain anonymous said it was 20-30 minutes after the incident before anyone at the residence called 911. There were reportedly people inside and outside the residence enjoying a party when the incident occurred.
Kinney is being held at the Inyo County Jail for murder with bail set at $1 million.
Inyo County Deputy Coroner Bill Stinnet said it is very early in the investigation to give out, or even have, many details. The results from a toxicology report and autopsy should be available next week.
Stinnet did say the victim was a male of unknown race, but could not give any more details until notifying the victim’s family. Stinnet said the Coroner’s Office has had a difficult time trying to locate family members, not identifying the victim.
The anonymous source also reported that someone at the crime scene said, “I’m glad I’m not the one who has to investigate this.”
No further details were available at press time.
The Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with  information pertaining to this investigation to call (760) 878-0383.