Account
Apr 15, 2010
Jan 08, 2024
Derrick
Engebretson
34
8
54 inches
85 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
On December 5, 1998, eight-year-old Derrick Engebretson disappeared while searching for a Christmas tree with his father and grandfather in the Winema National Forest near Rocky Point, Oregon. An avid lover of the outdoors, Derrick was familiar with the mountainous terrain. During the outing, he became separated from his family. When his father and grandfather realized they could no longer see him, they began to search. A passing motorist was notified around 4:13 p.m. and called 9-1-1 from a nearby resort. The initial search for Derrick was quickly hampered by a blizzard that moved into the area that evening, covering any tracks he might have left. Investigators did find a young boy's footprints and a snow angel near the road, but as the storm intensified, the search had to be called off. The search resumed in the following days and weeks, with thousands of hours dedicated by law enforcement and volunteers, but it was a difficult task. The temperatures dropped to sub-zero, making the conditions unsafe. Searchers on the ground and in the air scoured the area. They discovered a makeshift shelter constructed from fir boughs, but search dogs did not detect Derrick's scent there. Investigators initially speculated that Derrick had gotten lost and likely succumbed to the harsh elements. His parents, however, held onto the belief that their son, who was accustomed to long walks in the mountains, would not have simply gotten lost. A few discoveries were made, including a school bookmark and a candy wrapper a couple of miles from where he was last seen, but these items could not be definitively linked to his disappearance. As the investigation continued, theories shifted from Derrick being lost to a possible abduction. A witness came forward stating they had seen a man struggling with a young boy in the area on the day Derrick went missing, but at the time, they had assumed it was a father and son. Reports also surfaced about an unidentified man in a two-door Honda asking for directions in the forest that day. In October 1999, another strange clue emerged when graffiti referencing the case was found in a rest stop bathroom about 150 miles away; the specific content was never publicly released. Years later, in 2008, a significant person of interest was identified: Frank James Milligan, a convicted child rapist. An inmate reported that Milligan had confessed to killing Derrick. When questioned by police, Milligan confessed but was unable to lead them to Derrick's body, and he later recanted his confession. Though he remains a suspect, he has never been charged in connection with Derrick's case. The disappearance of Derrick Engebretson remains an unresolved case, a painful mystery for his family who continue to hope for answers.
Dec 05, 1998
Bonanza
Oregon
Klamath County
No
26533
Klamath County Sheriff's Office
Klamath Falls
Oregon
Klamath County
97601
3300 Vandenberg Road, Oregon
5418835130
County
Law Enforcement
98-3506
Klamath County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Hazel
Hazel
05/24/2026
