In the summer of 2023, a 27-year-old man named Tyler Jacob Keplin vanished from a remote area in Washington, leaving his family and law enforcement searching for answers. On July 7, 2023, Tyler, a resident of Spokane, was at a job site on Mingo Mountain Road, just outside the small town of Kettle Falls. He had no known connections to this area. Reports from that day indicate that Tyler was exhibiting unusual behavior, expressing fear that he was being tracked through his phone and making other
disjointed statements. In a concerning turn of events, he walked away from the work site on foot, leaving behind his wallet and phone, and headed off with the stated intention of walking home. He was last seen wearing a black or gray shirt, faded black shorts, and black shoes.
Tyler is a Native American man, affiliated with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, standing at 5'9' and weighing around 200 to 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has several distinct tattoos that his family hoped would help identify him: the word 'Native' on one forearm, 'Pride' on the other, and a bear paw on the back of his right calf. He also has a scar on the top of his head. His family has shared that Tyler had struggled with his mental health in the past and had a history of heavy drinking. They believe he may have been experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, as he had stopped drinking just three days before he went missing, which could have contributed to his state of mind on that day.
The search for Tyler began after he was reported missing, with the Stevens County Sheriff's Office and the Washington State Patrol issuing a missing Indigenous person alert. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office is listed as the investigating agency. The circumstances of his disappearance are particularly worrying to investigators and his loved ones. Walking off from a rural job site without a phone or money, in an area he was unfamiliar with, has created a perplexing and tragic mystery. The case is an overview of a vulnerable individual who disappeared under distressing conditions, leaving a void in the lives of those who know him and a series of unanswered questions for the community and law enforcement.Last Seen: Jul 7, 2023
