Three people are known to have died from last year’s Almeda Fire, which burned through Talent and Phoenix. Two of those victims were previously identified. Local and state agencies have been working to identify the third person since their remains were found near the ignition point in September.
Now, a flyer is making its way around social media with information about that unidentified third victim.
The post includes a description based on an examination of the remains, as well as computer-generated images derived via a forensic approximation from DNA. The victim is believed to have been an adult black male between five-foot-eight inches and five-foot-eleven inches with black hair and brown eyes. Eyeglasses and a multi-tool were found near his remains.
The information was found on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, a government database for missing persons. It was then posted to a Facebook page called “For the Missing: Pacific Northwest” where it quickly spread.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reshared the post Tuesday afternoon and asked the public for any leads or information about the victim.
Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler says the information aligns with their findings so far, but he doesn’t know how the information was released. He says after the original post got so much attention, he decided the Sheriff's Office should share it and clear any confusion.
Oregon State Police's Medical Examiner Division is working to identify the victim while working with a DNA technology company to process the findings.
If you have information regarding a missing person who matches this description, please call the Jackson County Sheriff's Office at (541) 774-8333.
