A young Washington man's death, previously deemed suspicious when his body was discovered along a forest road in Skamania County, has now been officially ruled a homicide. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office shared on Wednesday, via KOIN, that the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office declared the manner of death of 20-year-old Jacob DeSha as a homicide. DeSha, from Carson, Washington, was found dead near U.S. Forest Service Road 43 following a missing person report that brought deputies to the grim scene on July 20.
The investigation took a turn when a search warrant revealed details about the younger man's camping trip, which ended in tragedy. According to KATU, DeSha was reported missing after failing to return from his outing. The report came from his stepfather, who last visited the campsite on July 15 to drop off food, but when he returned two days later, he found spoiled food and DeSha’s dogs without any sign of DeSha himself. The stepfather also discovered DeSha's cell phone and a .22-caliber rifle at the camp, which he removed before notifying authorities.
Following up on the report, detectives and deputies launched a search that led to a heartbreaking find; DeSha's body was concealed under sticks by a fallen tree, an attempt to hide the evidence of a crime, as the stepfather initially failed to locate his stepson. The KGW report indicated that detectives are urging the public to bring forward any information on suspicious persons or vehicles seen from July 1 to July 20 in the region, including the Hemlock and Stabler area north of Carson.
Investigators are piecing together the events that led to DeSha's untimely demise, the community reeling from the news of a life taken so early. Residents with home surveillance systems along Wind River Road are also asked to review their footage during the time of DeSha's disappearance, in the hope that some light might be shed on the circumstances surrounding his death. As the investigation presses forward, the Sheriff’s Office is adamant that the public's assistance can prove critical, for justice, for truth, and for a grieving family seeking closure.
