A male victim named Jason Anthony Wood, aged 32, originally from Kentucky but associated with Parkdale, Oregon, vanished in early September 2014. He and his father, John Kevin Wood, aged 59, left little trace behind when their vehicle, a Kia Rio, was discovered abandoned on Oregon Route 35 near the Dog River Trailhead. Inside the car, investigators found sleeping bags, a stove, and a substantial amount of camping gear, suggesting that the pair might have been preparing for a hiking or camping
excursion into the Mount Hood National Forest. A fast-food receipt dated September 2, 2014, further confirmed that the father and son had visited a restaurant in Hood River on that day, supporting the timeline of their disappearance. Although both were residents of Kentucky, the disappearance sparked an intensive search by local authorities.
Nearly two years passed without any breakthrough. Then, in July 2016, U.S. Forest Service workers surveying the Dog River Trail area discovered the decomposed bodies of two men, later confirmed to be John Kevin Wood, age 59, and his son, Jason Anthony Wood, age 32. Their remains were found approximately half a mile from the location where the Kia Rio had been abandoned.
Authorities, including the Hood River County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, and U.S. Forest Service investigators, conducted a detailed analysis of the scene. The evidence pointed to an apparent murder‑suicide, though specifics regarding the events leading up to their deaths were not released. Officials withheld details on who may have been responsible or whether one acted alone, offering no clear narrative explaining the tragic ending to their disappearance. No arrests were reported in connection with the case; instead, investigators treated the incident as an isolated, internal act rather than the result of external criminal involvement.
Thus unfolded the somber story of a male victim, Jason Anthony Wood, age 32, and his father, male, age 59, both Kentucky men whose plans to hike near Parkdale, Oregon, in early September 2014 ended tragically in a remote section of Mount Hood National Forest. Despite a prolonged search, their fate remained unknown until discovered accidentally, revealing a heart-breaking conclusion that was never further clarified to the public.
