Ian Eckles, 41, left his home in Kent, Washington, for a planned solo hunting and camping trip to the remote Liberty area of Kittitas County in May 2020. He texted a friend to say he had arrived on the evening of May 16, and his phone last pinged near the intersection of State Route 970 and Highway 10 that night. He did not show up at a planned rendezvous the next morning, and was reported missing on May 18.

On May 23, 2020, Eckles’ Toyota FJ Cruiser was found concealed in brush off a Forest Service road. Deputies say they observed evidence of a violent struggle inside the vehicle, including blood and indications of gunshots. A man who fled as officers approached was later identified as Jorge Alcantara-Gonzalez; he was arrested on June 14 while committing a burglary in the Teanaway Valley. Authorities recovered a stolen Ford Expedition parked near Eckles’ abandoned vehicle that contained some of Eckles’ personal items, including a sleeping bag with his blood on it.

Despite extensive searches by law enforcement and more than 100 volunteers, Eckles’ remains have not been located. The Kittitas County Coroner issued a presumptive death certificate naming May 17, 2020 as the date of death. Does anyone have information about Eckles’ movements in the Liberty or Teanaway areas on or around May 16–17, 2020?