Account
Jul 23, 2012
Jun 11, 2024
David
Durham
57
43
75 inches
180 lbs
190 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the coastal community of Lincoln City, Oregon, a chain of events unfolded on the night of January 23, 2011, that would lead to the enduring mystery of David Anthony Durham's disappearance. At 43 years old, Durham, a man described by those who knew him as an avid outdoorsman, became the subject of an intense search after a routine traffic stop escalated dramatically. Friends and family had noted a change in his behavior leading up to that night, describing him as increasingly paranoid and erratic, a shift they attributed to prescription pain medication for a shoulder injury. He had reportedly told a friend he felt people were after him and had also spoken of plans to relocate to the Caribbean. That evening, after attending a gathering with friends where he seemed unusually quiet, Durham was pulled over by a Lincoln City police officer for a traffic violation at approximately 10:58 p.m. During the stop, Durham, who was dressed in camouflage clothing he had made himself, suddenly shot the officer multiple times, critically injuring him, and then fled south on Highway 101 in his pickup truck. The ensuing police chase sped down the coastal highway for about 40 miles. As officers pursued him, Durham reportedly fired his weapon at passing motorists and patrol cars. The chase came to an end near Waldport, just north of the Alsea Bay Bridge, when police successfully deployed a spike strip that disabled his vehicle. Before his truck crashed, it is believed Durham pushed his beloved dog, Huckleberry, from the moving vehicle. He then abandoned the truck and fled on foot, disappearing into the darkness of the woods bordering the highway. Around the same time, two crab fishermen in Alsea Bay reported hearing gunshots, but could not see anyone. In the immediate aftermath, a massive manhunt was launched, involving local, state, and federal law enforcement, including SWAT teams who conducted house-to-house searches in the nearby communities of Waldport and Bayshore, but found no trace of him. Days turned into years, and David Durham was never seen again. Three days into the search, his dog, Huckleberry, was found wandering alone in Waldport, injured but alive. The discovery of his dog, a constant companion, without him only deepened the questions surrounding his fate. Several theories have been considered by law enforcement; he may have taken his own life as police closed in, or he could have drowned while attempting to swim across the cold waters of Alsea Bay. Investigators also considered the possibility that the skilled outdoorsman was hiding in one of the many vacant vacation homes in the area or had managed to escape the search perimeter altogether. Despite the case being featured on "America's Most Wanted" and a federal arrest warrant being issued, no conclusive evidence of his whereabouts has ever surfaced. The investigation remains open, with federal authorities offering a substantial reward for information leading to his arrest, leaving his disappearance an unresolved and perplexing case.
Jan 23, 2011
Lincoln City
Oregon
Tillamook County
No
12009
Lincoln City Police Department
Lincoln City
Oregon
Lincoln County
97367
Charles Lane
Detective
1503 Southeast East Devil's Lake Road, Oregon
5419943636
Local
Law Enforcement
11-120
Lincoln City Police Department
Brown
Blue
Blue
05/25/2026
