In May of 2020, 41-year-old Ian Eckles traveled from his home in Kent, Washington, to the remote Liberty area in Kittitas County for a planned hunting trip. On the evening of May 16, 2020, he intended to camp alone and meet up with his hunting party the following morning. However, Eckles never arrived at the rendezvous point, and his friends and family reported him missing on May 18 after being unable to contact him. His last known communication was a text message to a friend indicating he had arrived in the Liberty area, and his phone last pinged near the intersection of State Route 970 and Highway 10 on the evening of May 16th. This marked the beginning of a distressing search for the missing man, who was an avid outdoorsman familiar with the area.
The search for Ian Eckles took a significant turn on May 23, 2020, when his Toyota FJ Cruiser was discovered concealed in the brush off a remote Forest Service road. As deputies approached the vehicle, a man, later identified as Jorge Alcantara-Gonzalez, emerged and fled into the forest, sparking a 23-day manhunt. Inside Eckles' vehicle, investigators found evidence of a violent struggle, including blood and signs of gunshots, leading them to believe he had been the victim of a homicide. Alcantara-Gonzalez was eventually apprehended on June 14 while committing a burglary in the Teanaway Valley. Further investigation uncovered that Alcantara-Gonzalez was also in possession of a stolen Ford Expedition, which was parked near Eckles' abandoned vehicle. Inside the stolen Expedition, authorities found some of Eckles' personal belongings, including a sleeping bag with his blood on it.
Despite extensive searches by law enforcement and over 100 volunteers, Ian Eckles' remains have never been found. In the years following his disappearance, the investigation continued, culminating in May 2026 when the Kittitas County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Jorge Alcantara-Gonzalez with the first-degree murder and first-degree robbery of Ian Eckles. Prior to the murder charge, Alcantara-Gonzalez had pleaded guilty to several other felonies, including possession of Eckles' stolen vehicle. The case against him was built on a foundation of evidence including GPS data, blood evidence, and the discovery of Eckles' belongings. Although a suspect is now facing charges, the lack of closure for Eckles' loved ones remains a painful reality. The Kittitas County Coroner's Office has issued a presumptive death certificate, declaring him deceased as of May 17, 2020. The case serves as a somber reminder of a life cut short and a family left with unanswered questions.
Last Seen: May 17, 2020
