In the quiet woods near Crescent, Oregon, the life of 57-year-old Russell Sherman Gilbert, known as "Red Fox," came to a sudden and violent end on May 9, 2019. A man who found solace in fishing the waters of Crescent Lake and crafting Native American jewelry, Gilbert's final moments were marked by a fatal encounter that would lead to a murder investigation.
In the early hours of that Thursday morning, a 911 call was placed by Rex Ronald Jones. In a startling admission to the dispatcher, Jones stated that he had shot a man at a property on Cox Road, just west of Crescent, and that the man was no longer breathing. Klamath County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the rural location, where they discovered the body of a male individual.
The victim was soon identified as Russell Sherman Gilbert. The deputies secured the scene and the Klamath County Major Crime Team was activated to lead the homicide investigation. Based on his own admission during the 911 call, Rex Ronald Jones was taken into custody.
Jones was subsequently lodged in the Klamath County Jail. He faced serious charges, including murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of methamphetamine. The initial investigation did not immediately release a motive for the shooting, leaving a community to grapple with the tragic loss of one of its members.
