Daniel Lee Painter, 50, of Bakersfield was found dead on March 24, 2025, near the Kern Riverbed east of the Chester Avenue bridge. Officers arrived at about 9:45 a.m. for an unknown situation and discovered Painter with an apparent gunshot wound; the Kern County Coroner’s Office later confirmed his identity.

The Bakersfield Police Department has classified the death as a homicide and detectives have taken over the investigation. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made and no suspects have been publicly identified. An obituary published by Angels Cremation Center did not provide further details about his death.

Anyone who may have been in the Kern Riverbed area that morning or who has information related to Painter’s death is asked to contact the Bakersfield Police Department.