Game banquet lost proceeds found in kitchen

Cash, checks and credit card receipts reported missing after the Delta Waterfowl annual banquet last month were located Saturday in the home of organization chairman Russell Keaton.

The banquet proceeds were reported missing on Oct. 26 when Keaton could not find them in his pickup truck parked outside his residence at 911 Walnut Creek in Fairfield.

Fairfield police Sgt. Larry Warren and Patrolman John Kindon report they received a call from the Delta Waterfowl chairman Sunday evening that three envelopes believed to contain the banquet proceeds had just been located in his home.

The officers found the envelopes to be sealed and conducted an inventory, counting out $14,756 in cash, prior to taking the proceeds to the police department for storage in an evidence locker.

Keaton told officers that the envelopes were found by his wife, Karla, in a drawer in the kitchen as she was looking for a set of barbecue tongs.

The officers note that the organization chairman contends that someone entered his house and placed the envelopes in the drawer some time after he had reported them missing.

Fairfield police returned the proceeds to Keaton on Monday.