Eli E. Reiter, 54, of Harper, Oregon, died on June 7, 2025, after a confrontation with a Malheur County Sheriff’s Office deputy outside his home. Deputies had been sent about 9:27 p.m. to investigate an assault following a dispute with a neighbor that began verbally and became physical. When the deputy attempted to serve a citation and take Reiter into custody, the encounter escalated from shouted commands to a struggle in the yard.

Officials say the deputy deployed a Taser, which appeared to work briefly before the scuffle resumed and Reiter took control of the device, then discarded it. The deputy drew a firearm, holstered it while trying the Taser again, then found the Taser no longer functioning. The sheriff’s timeline reports Reiter advanced toward the deputy holding a hammer; the deputy fired, and Reiter died at the scene. The Malheur County district attorney reviewed reports and evidence and on June 27, 2025, ruled the deputy’s use of deadly force justified and declined to file charges. No arrests were made.

Did anyone in the area witness the confrontation or have information about what led up to the dispute between neighbors?