Police find 'homeless' man dead with $85,000 in drugs, cash
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Police found one of Yakima's most frequent panhandlers dead in his car Tuesday night. Officers found nearly $2,000 along with half a pound of heroin worth $83,000.
Yakima police believe the panhandler found at Taco Bell died of an overdose. The Yakima County Coroner later identified the man as 56-year-old Douglas Budd.
"That's more than a lot of people make in a year?" Action News asked.
"It's a lot more then people make in a year," said Yakima police captain Rod Light.
"But he was asking for a dollar saying he was homeless on a corner?" Action News asked.
"Exactly," Light said. "These people are not homeless."
But other panhandlers told us a different story. "Jack" said he's tried everything since he lost his job and his hope.
"Very frustrating, it's been a long time since I had some money," Jack said.
Jack hopes pen to cardboard will put a few bucks in his pocket.
"[I] heard from people that they make good money holding a sign on the street corner," he said.
Money he uses to buy food, water, and sometimes shelter unlike his late co-worker.
"[It] just puts a bad reputation on people who are homeless," Jack said. "Makes me angry."
And while Jack might be an honest man, Yakima Police Captain Rod Light says most, like the man found last night, are not.
"They'll say whatever they need to say or do to get a buck from you," Light said.
that man held up a sign begging 4 help. I know myself I've helped him a half dozen times in the past 5 years. I've seen others that do the same and they been out there even longer . I soon giv someone money to buy beer when he's being honest and asking for just that, money 4 his booze. than someone dealing drugs and holding a sign saying he's homeless and hungry needing money. i'm really tired of seeing them at yakimas street corners...
Oh well.
The sadness in this is that people are only seeing the over dose and that he may not needed to be panhandling. We must remember as a society we should be judged by those less fortunate, if that be in poverty or lack of education be what may. so to see things like this in the news is less of a reflection of the lost soul who died alone in his car and more so on those around him who never stepped in or got help a crime almost all of us have been guilty of.
 He didn't find no drugs. that guy was a stonecold dope feind and a glutton at that !!! Not toomany career junkies live past 60. And that one find example of that fact. take heed in what I say . I  was, I've been and thanks to a higher power I'm no more !!! Can't say he was ever a friend ,but yes I knew him on a personal level.Junkies have short life sands and some a little longer. If the drug nitself does not take your life, be 100% sure something other because the drug does so many horrible things to all parts of you. that other will get you for sure in the end. Heroine addiction demands it!!! I know my recovery will be the longest road I've ever traveled, I only wish that 2013 will be over and if see 1/1/2014 then I will lay down and be content. And with a smile and sigh of relief....
if you want to help. buy food for the food bank, give them a sandwich, but never cash . better yet , go to a cancer ward and sit and make a child happy for a few minutes.
I think it is VERY likely he found the drugs. Stashed, or along the road,thrown from a car? He died from his ignorance on how to use it. He may have sold a bit to get the 2,000 bucks, but this sounds like 'accidental overdose'' to me. RIP old friend!
END THE WAR ON DRUGS!!!!!!!
@BRONCO BAMAÂ I AGREE w/ u Brother sounds as tho he let himself make a bad judgement call & cook up just a lil toooooooo much damn shame HUH???
And condolences to the man's family who likely stopped helping feed his addiction long ago. Having lost a brother to a life of addiction I know that this was someones son, someones brother, and likely someones father. Â
We have one of the very best missions in the state. If you want to help the true homeless help the mission. My brother was an addict. He took me around town once and filled me in on the back stories of the guys and gals I used to stop to help with a buck or two when I was a single mother trying to meet the needs of my children. Once he did that I only gave after that if I felt God really was asking me to which only happened once when I gave a man some money for McDonalds. I wasn't sure about it, but later after coming out of the library with my son who had urged me to give to him the man had a McDonald's bag. Moral of the story is we can never say never, but we really need to be selective about who we hand money, and remember that we have a place here in Yakima that feeds the hungry and they do a great job, so support them.
 @Tonya N Dont put god in it if you going to judge cuz god said give to those in need not judge who you should an shouldnt give the money too
@uncle_duke77 one should not have to decide. Get a job and quit beggingÂ
they don't even have to claim the money they get on their income tax!!
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this really makes me mad!! i know a low life like this he drives a cadallac has a place washes windows at walmart in sunnyside...a major scam he plays he has back problems but doesnt... sell his pills plays everyone and he gets away with it...people like this riun for the ones that really need the help..like our homeless vets that are going through issues.and cant get the help, or are too proud.
A drug dealer posing as a panhandler.
People of Yakima.. well the people that foolishly give to the panhandlers..you helped that man to his death..No you didn't put the needle in his arm, he did that all on his own.. but he's an addict.,someone compelled to destruction feeding an addiction. No.. you didn't sell him $83,000 worth of heroin..something which should be saved for the drug dealer and injected into him or her in one shot (my personal opinion and solution to the drug problem).You gave him the money....Before you give another dollar to panhanders on the street remember this article and give to a charitable cause first. It doesn't need to be a national organization.. it can be a church..it can be a local charity so the money stays in the community. I will bet you could even set up the gift to be used for that individual alone...
I tried to give a guy 3 cheese burgers and a large fry from McDonalds because he said he was hungry. The man threw it at me and said he wanted the money. That's the LAST time I EVER helped anyone saying they were hungry. I've been homeless myself, never ONCE held a sighn up. Thought about it but I never did it. I worked odd jobs and got help from the state to get food stamps. This is why I ONLY give money to the ones that tell the truth and say they want beer or something & usually I don't have money to give so I'd give ciggarettes. I know most of them smoke & if not they can sell the cigs so It'll still help. But after that one guy by McDonalds threw the food at me I never believed them.
 @Courtney Cain it doesn't surprise me one time a guy asked me for change and all i had was alot of pennies and he wouldn't accept them ever since then i refuse to give them anything, i think most of them lie
If you really want or have the need to help these people who clearly will say whatever will make you feel badly for them to get a buck out of you buy them a damn cheeseburger at McDonald's. He had more cash on him tan the average citizen of Yakima has in their bank account at any given time not to mention $83,000.00 worth of heroine. Panhandling is obviously a lucrative profession, yes that is what it is now simply a profession. Give to a charity that you know will put the money to good, legal use.