David M. Mekvold, 42, was last seen after a phone call with his wife at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, December 27, 2010, following a day at his job with Standard Insurance in Portland, Oregon. Coworkers later reported his personal items were missing from his cubicle and his uneaten lunch was found in a nearby garbage can. When he did not return home, his wife reported him missing to the Gresham Police Department.

The day after his disappearance his gray 1998 Mazda pickup was found abandoned on a gravel road in a secluded, wooded area of Skamania County, Washington, about 40 miles east of Portland near Beacon Rock. An extensive ground search with about 20 searchers and several dogs covered difficult terrain down to the Columbia River, but poor weather and low clouds limited aircraft use; after three days the official search was suspended. Authorities reported no evidence of foul play at the truck and also no indication he had planned to leave on his own. His wife began a blog after he disappeared expressing hope he might return.

Several details remain unexplained: a routine midday call, missing personal items, an uneaten lunch, and a truck abandoned in a remote spot. Anyone with information about David’s movements on December 27, 2010, or who saw his pickup near Beacon Rock is asked to come forward.