Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers Dies At Age 56

One of Washington's 39 county sheriffs has died.

On Tuesday, Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers passed away at the age of 56.

Myers' death comes less than a week after he notified the Whitman County Board of Commissioners that he was retiring due to an illness, although he did not disclose the nature of the ailment which is also assumed to have taken his life.

Myers began his law enforcement career as a reserve police officer and started his tenure as sheriff in January, 2003, after being elected to the post the preceding November.

Since the announcement of his passing, a number of sheriff's offices and other law enforcement agencies from around the state have been offering their respects to Myers and condolences to his family over social media.

In a prepared statement issued Wednesday, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said of his fallen law enforcement colleague, "He was a respected and admired leader and public servant whose years of service made a lasting impact on his community and those who had the privilege of working alongside him. His passing is a profound loss for his family, the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, the community he served, and the broader law enforcement family to include the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office."

In the wake of Myers' death, Whitman County Undersheriff Keith Cooper has been appointed to serve as acting Sheriff.