
The search for answers in the 2022 disappearance of Newport man Ryan Staggs came to a stark resolution this week when authorities discovered human remains in a remote area of Lincoln County. After a three-year hiatus, the cold trail heated up when a man from Toledo was arrested on murder charges in connection with Staggs' case, according to KGW.
The breakthrough in the investigation was credited to the persistent efforts of the Lincoln County District Attorney's Cold Case Unit. Despite the three retired volunteers, who've been plugging away at lingering questions since May 2022, their pursuit of the truth never waned. Information from a search warrant executed on December 27, 2024, at a property on NW 7th Street in Newport proved crucial. Cadaver dogs were brought in and hit upon the scent of human remains, yet a thorough search of the premises left investigators empty-handed at the time, as detailed by KATU News.
Further investigation, however, led to the grim discovery last Wednesday. The location remained undisclosed aside from its categorization as 'remote,' providing a somber closure to the mysterious case that has lingered over Newport for years. The suspect in custody, whose name and details about the arrest have not been widely released, is facing charges that tie directly to Staggs' demise.
Moreover, there was a poignant development earlier in the investigation, which has only become telling. A search warrant carried out at a Newport home on the morning of Dec. 27 saw police unearth soil from the backyard where cadaver canines detected the scent of human remains. Subsequently arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, Jack David Baird has become a name associated with this unsettling case, with his actions still under investigation. If anyone possesses insights into the disappearance or murder of Ryan Staggs, they are encouraged by authorities to reach out, given by Newport Police Det. Darren Cicerone to KPTV. Police ask that anyone with information contact Newport Police at 541-574-3348, utilize the Newport Police Tip Line at 541-270-1856, or email [email protected].