@LaPineCommunityNews was created to bring another news source to La Pine in 2015. It is primarily a Facebook newspage, and is updated several times daily. "In the News" is a regional news page serving La Pine & Newberry Country, Greater Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Documenting the day and keeping you informed!
Welcome! Bringing awareness to the magnitude of the number of Oregon's missing, and the highlighting of individual cases is something that I am interested in helping with. At any given time, there are around 1,000 missing people in Oregon. That number included recent cases and cold cases both. Several months ago, there were 160 unidentified people in the OSP morgue. Earlier this month, they were down to 122, and the progress in bringing closure to the families is very important. I have been tracking Oregon's missing people since March 2017. Approximately every couple of months, I print out the Oregon State Police's missing list, divide it up by counties and then share some of that info in various places. This is intended to be a resource for law enforcement, investigators, researchers and families.
There are many quality "missing" websites and FB pages out there, and I share their info on my newspage and blog, "In the News for La Pine and Surrounding Communities"
I have created six new FB pages where I have divided things up into certain geographical areas. I divided up the map of Oregon state into the following six areas, and then divided those areas up by counties. I am posting the missing from each county, updating the OSP data every other month. Info from NameUs, the John Doe Network and other sources are included in the comment section under each county. Here are links to the Facebook Pages:
I also plan on eventually writing short articles, sharing links, posting flyers and stories about the people who have disappeared. It is so very hard for their families who don't know where their loved ones are. I hope that they realize that others haven't forgotten about them either.
Here is a link about the point-in-time number of missing in Oregon (516) over just the past year or so, taken on May 5, 2018:
Please share your stories and contribute to these pages. If you are sharing about a new missing loved one, please provide a photo, description, contact information, which police department that you are working with, etc.
This is a huge undertaking, and I have other obligations as well, but I will be working on getting these pages functional and completed as quickly as possible.
Thank you for stopping by, and I hope this helps somebody out.
Kathy Matthews "In the News" News for La Pine and Surrounding Communities
If it looks like I haven't gotten much filled in yet, please keep scrolling down to the older cases. The newer cases do not have photos or pertinent details posted, unless the family is active in the search or non-profit organizations are working the case. It is my hope that by doing this report that everybody will be found. If your name is on here and you are okay, please contact the Oregon State Police to get your name removed from their data base. Also, please let me know so that I can put "FOUND SAFE" after your name. I also hope that this will help find the identities of some of the people who are currently in the OSP morgue.
These are people who have gone missing in Lane County during 2017/2018, according to the Oregon State Police website. Some of these people may be back home by now, but I will post pictures, details and posters that I find under their names:
Last heard from on Nov. 14, 2017
Jacob was last seen on 11/14/2017 at Walgreens on River Road in Eugene. He was wearing blue jeans, a gray sweatshirt and a black baseball cap with brown brim. He was carrying a black backpack and may be riding a gray Granite Peak bicycle.
Enright, Bryan Michael 37/36
Erb, Raymond Charles 51/51
Epsy, Miya Marie 14/14 *
Ewing, Donna Louise 53/53
Fergason, Jessica Ann 15/15 *
Fifer, Devin Michael 16/16 *
Fittipaldi, Blake Aaron 15/15 *
Fulthorpe, Sierrah Rose 16/16 *
Gallion, Michelle Lynne 50/50
Goddard, Merlin Emery 29/29
Griffing, Robert Michael 70/70
Groat, Daniella Brionna 17/17 *
Hald, Andrew 18/18 *
Hamilton, Dylan James 14/14 *
Hansen, Constance Kay 54/54
Harris, Mark Allen 54/54
Hart, Aaron Thomas 14/14 *
Harvey, Noah Francis 16/15 *
Hemingway, Korbin Kordell 12/12 *
Jensen, John Davies 17/17 *
Johnson, MacKenzie Corley 18/17 *
Johnston, Chad Aaron 32/32
Jones, Joshua Anthony 15/15 *
Keehner, Nina Tolson 55/55
Knight, Christina 16/15 *
Kunkle, Shalee Ann 16/16 *
Lackey, Gabe Abraham, 17/17 *
Lekoff, Peyton James 13/13 *
Long, Michael Steven 28/28
Lortie, Craig 62/62 Not sure this is the same person, but a RG death notice was posted on Jan. 9th, 2018 for a 62-year-old Craig Lortie: Craig Mark Lortie, 62, of Eugene, died Jan. 4. Arrangements by Musgrove Family Mortuary in Eugene.
Missing in 2017/2018, found on sources other than OSP: Wicks, Dennis Gene - (FB post of 4/18 ... missing since 2017):
"I will start here.. I AM ESPECIALLY REACHING OUT TO THE OAKRIDGE COMMUNITY. My uncle has been missing since last year and we are desperate to know if anyone has seen him. He is a drifter so we thought he was just out doing his thing. But he has failed to contact any family and we are now officially worried. If you have seen him please contact the number on the flier. Thank you."
Salvatore R. Carrozzo ~ NamUS Page Unknown. Salvatore was last seen at a friend's residence in the 88000 block of U.S. Hwy 101 in Florence, OR. He may have been seen on December 15, 2006 at a the Twin Lakes store nearby. His camp was located in the Sutton Lake Recreation area.
Sashidharan was last seen at approximately 3:50pm in the vicinity of McKenzie River at Partridge Ln. in Eugene, OR. Sashidharan overturned in a kayak while boating on the McKenzie River.
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — A wallet discovered near a small pile of bones last week contained the identification of a man who was last seen a decade ago, authorities said.
Lane County sheriff's investigators declined to disclose the name on the Oregon driver's license and said they wouldn't know for certain whose remains had been found until they got a DNA match.
Detectives have yet to find relatives of the man whose name appears on the license.
"We have not officially released the name, in part because we have not been able to notify next of kin," sheriff's Lt. Randy Smith said.
Smith, however, said the identification card belonged to a person who was reported missing in Lane County in 1996.
The Cottage Grove resident who discovered the bones said the driver's license belonged to John Burl Cranford. John Perry spotted the bones while walking his dog near Highway 99.
"I just kept poking around after I saw the bones, and sure enough, there was the wallet," Perry said. "I'd walked past that area several times before and never noticed it. It couldn't have been more than about a quarter-mile from my house."
Researchers at the University of Oregon's anthropology department are reconstructing the bones.
According to the National Center for Missing Adults, Cranford was 43 when he disappeared Aug. 17, 1996. The center's Web site, which lists Cranford as an endangered missing adult, said he was last seen in Eugene.
"This guy probably has family somewhere that's been wondering for 10 years what happened to him," Perry said. "Maybe this will help them get a little closure." Seattle Times/Associated Press
Mr. Defoe's partial remains (missing portions of both arms) were located in the Willamette river 16 miles south of Corvallis Oregon in December of 1994. DNA identification made October 2012.
Unknown. Wendy was last seen at approximately 7:00am in the vicinity of the 1000 block of Green Acres Rd. in Eugene, OR. She was scheduled to drive to Hasley, OR but never arrived. Her vehicle described as a white two door 1990 Toyota Corolla SR5 was later located on 05/02/05 in south Eugene, OR.
Benjamin was involved in a witnessed plane crash over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Florence, Oregon
Elkins, Kevin Daniel 56/44
Kevin D. Elkins ~ NamUS Page Kevin was last seen at approximately 11:00am picking up his weekly money at the bank in the vicinity of 10th and Oak St. in Eugene, OR. He has a medical condition.
Estrada-Aviles, Luis 53/49
Luis Estrada-Aviles ~ NamUs Page MP last seen on 09-04-2013 and was reported missing by his employer on 09-1-62013 after uncharacteristically not showing up for work.
Unknown. Donald was last seen at approximately 9:00pm on the Lookout Point Dam 22 miles SE of Eugene on OR58 in Lowell, OR. Investigation indicates that Mr. Fry is most likely in the reservoir.
Gamaperez, Daniel 08/02 *
Gonzales, Russel Matthew 53/46
Russel M. Gonzales ~ NamUS Page Unknown. Russell was last heard from in the Eugene, OR area. His vehicle, described as a blue 1986 VW Quantum, was later located in July 2006 on Forest Service Rd. 5847 MP 8 south of Eugene, OR. He was en route to the Coos Bay/North Bend, OR area. Russell has a medical condition.
Vicki was seen entering her car at a parking lot at 8th Avenue and Washington Street at about 1700 hours. She left work at Bon Marche (now Macy's), where she had been employed as a seamstress for about two weeks. She was possibly headed home to 600 West 27th Avenue, planning to meet a friend to attend a party in the neighborhood. She had a habit of picking up hitchhikers. Her car and purse have never been recovered. Her vehicle is described as a black 1965 Volkswagen Beetle with Illinois license plate GR7738, with the running boards removed.
Brian was climbing a mountain in Three Sisters Wilderness, when he was witnessed to fall. His body was located but rescuers were unable to recover it.
Justis, Suzanne Rae 68/39
Called her mother on 11/5/1973 from Portland, OR and said she would be back in Eugene the following day to pick up her son from school. She has not been heard from since.
*** partial remains have been recovered***** Did not return from a fishing trip with a friend on the Oregon coast north of Florence. MP 173 on Hwy 101. Gear found on rocks of ocean shores. Friend's body recovered from Pacific Ocean.
Magnuson, Annie Cornell 56/41
Annie C. Magnuson ~ Oregon's Missing Blog Unknown. Anne was last seen at approximately 5:30pm in the vicinity of the 84000 block of Parkway Rd. in Pleasant Hill, OR. All personal belongings were left behind. She has a medical condition.
Distraught over her recent divorce, MP put her financial affairs in order, sent letters of good bye to her daughters, and walked away from her home and family, never to be heard of again.
This person, his wife and young daughter disappeared from Eugene, Oregon in 1987. In September 1987 the murdered bodies of his wife and daughter were found in the State of Washington.
Narain, Raj Mati 54/24
Raj is a female; not on OSP page but on NamUS; same last name as Ashok K. Narain
Kevin was last seen at approximately 10:00pm leaving an acquaintance's residence in the vicinity of the 32400 block of Mathew's Rd. to go to a pub on College Hill Rd. but never arrived.
Merle is/was a schizophrenic who bounced around numerous states and is/was often homeless. He was last known alive on 10/17/2012 when arrested in San Francisco, California at near Cesar Chavez St at a park .
Scott was last seen in the early morning hours at a family member's residence in the vicinity of Adams St. and 4th Ave. in Eugene, OR. He has a medical condition and needs medication.
Carl was last seen at his home in Springfield, Oregon on 04/26/2013. He suffers from dementia. He insisted on going for a walk and has not been seen since.
MP last seen when he went to bed 9/28/2008, was missing from residence the next morning.
Winters, Robertson Chad 32/23 (**)
Robertson C. Winters ~ NamUs Page (Drowning) Involved in a witnessed rafting accident in the Willamette River near Eugene Oregon and is presumed drowned.
Missing prior to 2017 and listed on sources other than OSP:
*Margaret M. Kohler ~ NamUs Page (Wilderness) Margaret's car was located on Cummins Ridge Road Trailhead. Vehicle was unattended. Area was searched but did not locate Margaret. She had her dog Roscoe with her, he has been found and taken to animal control.
Robert Richardson's daughter last heard from him around 6:30am on 02/14/2012, when he called her to ask that she pick up his 2003 Ford Ranger truck from the top of Gowdyville Road (approximately milepost 3) west of Cottage Grove. The vehicle was later located, unattended, near that location.
--------------------------------- John and Jane Does for Lane County: MALES:
