WA WA - Ian Eckles, 41, car seen driven by someone else, Cle Elum, 16 May 2020 *arrest*

[GuyfromCanada]

CLE ELUM, Wash. — The mystery behind the disappearance of a hunter last seen near Cle Elum more than a week ago deepened after searchers reported spotting the man's SUV being driven by someone else.

Law enforcement alongside volunteers are looking for Ian Eckles of Kent, who was last seen May 16.

Friends say Eckles, 41, was going to meet friends for a hunting trip in the woods near Cle Ellum, but hasn’t been heard from since.

More at Search for hunter missing near Cle Elum takes a frightening turn

Does not sound good...

 

[Knox]

His facebook page - Ian Eckles

 

[Knox]

Kittitas County Sheriff
Yesterday at 11:29 AM ·
Kittitas County Press Release
Sheriff
BOLO-SPECIAL ATTENTION to the SR 97, Blewett Pass, Mineral Springs area.

Kittitas County, WA - 05/24/2020 - Law Enforcement is conducting an active manhunt for a wanted and potentially armed suspect. Please stay out of the area.

FS RD 9738 and its spur roads are closed. Call 911 for to report anything suspicious including thefts from campsites. Do not pick up any hitchhikers in the area or attempt to make contact with suspect. All known associated vehicles have been located and impounded. Suspect is believed to be on foot. The manhunt is associated with a missing person, 41-year-old Ian Eckles of Kent who was last known to be in the area of FS9738 last weekend. The suspect of the manhunt was found in possession of Ian Eckles’ vehicle and evaded law enforcement despite an extensive ground and air search by multiple agencies. Another vehicle stolen in King County was also found with Mr. Eckles’ vehicle. That stolen vehicle is connected with multiple crimes in Kittitas County. The search for the suspect has expanded today and we are asking the public to stay out of the area.

Witnesses have described the suspect as a Hispanic or Native American male, 20’s to mid 30’s. He is heavy set, with a chubby face, round nose, and short cropped black hair. He was last seen in flight from Law Enforcement wearing dark pants and no shirt.

Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us

Lot's of comments at link-

 

[Knox]

Kittitas County Sheriff
9 hrs ·
Updated: 5:48 P.M 5/25/2020

Fugitive believed to be using stolen tent

The Sheriff’s Office believes that the subject of the manhunt in the Mineral Springs stole a tent from a campsite early on Sunday morning. The owners of the tent had been evacuated due to the K9 search of the area. The tent is a red MSR brand ‘Hubba Hubba’ model dome-style tent with red tent poles and a light grey rainfly. A photo of the type of tent is attached in the comments section. We believe the suspect would be camping in deep cover in order to remain concealed.

Anyone who sees this type of tent is encouraged to immediately call Kittcom at 509-925-8534, or simply call 911.

***BOLO***

Suspect still at large in area of SR97 Mineral Springs, Liberty, First Creek

A suspect who fled from Law Enforcement concerning the possession of two stolen vehicles is still at large after extensive searches with K9 and aerial resources throughout the weekend. Searches were centered on the area of spur 130 off Forest Service Rd 9738, above the Mineral Springs Campground.

One of the vehicles found in the unknown suspect’s possession belongs to Ian Eckles, missing out of Kent since May 16 or 17. Eckles was heading to meet friends in the Liberty area for a Turkey hunt when he disappeared. The other vehicle was reported stolen from Fall City and has been positively identified as involved in burglaries in the First Creek area south of Liberty on or around April 3.

Anyone travelling or recreating in the area should be on the alert for suspicious activity or persons. The wanted subject is described as a Hispanic or possibly Native American man about 5’8” or 5’9” tall with short cropped black hair. He has a round or bulbous nose and scarring or pockmarks on his face. The circumstances of both of the stolen vehicles and the suspect’s continued evasion of Law Enforcement causes serious concern. It is known that he had access to firearms and may be armed.

The Sheriff’s Office is working with the resources of other local, state and federal agencies to find and secure this suspect. Please be on the lookout for increased police activity in the affected area and immediately report any suspicious persons or activity.

 

[PhoneJockey]

Wow, this doesn't sound good for Ian. I hope he's somewhere alive waiting to be found, and I hope the suspect is found before he can hurt anyone (else).

 

[JMapes]

Looks like a little new information from King5.

Massive search for missing Kent hunter and suspect seen in his truck near Cle Elum

"On Wednesday, authorities identified the man they are searching for as Jorge O. Alcantara-Gonzalez, 34. He was last seen fleeing on foot Tuesday in the Mineral Springs Campground and was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and khaki pants, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office.

Alcantara-Gonzalez is wanted in connection with a missing person, stolen vehicles and multiple burglaries and thefts in Kittitas County. He is possibly armed. He was described as heavy set, with a chubby face, round nose and short cropped black hair. The sheriff's office also posted Alcantara-Gonzalez' photo."

 

[JMapes]

Kittitas County Sheriff

 

[Darling136]

They have named the suspect - Jorge Alcantara-Gonzalez - and a murder warrant is out

Kittitas County Sheriff

 

[Marg from Oz]

The photo helps as the description conjured up a completely different man in my mind. I was concentrating on the "bulbous nose" description.

 

[siliconrod]

Fugitive arrested in Central Washington for murder of Kent man | Kent Reporter

 

[Seratonin]

The photo helps as the description conjured up a completely different man in my mind. I was concentrating on the "bulbous nose" description.

i dont want to laugh but lol @ concentrating on a bulbous nose. Sorry tht was funny

 

[mlhenn]

Kent man still missing, but massive manhunt leads to arrest in his apparent homicide

July 13 article
Ian Eckles was supposed to meet a buddy in May to go turkey hunting north of Liberty, a tiny community in unincorporated Kittitas County.

Six days later, what Kittitas County Sheriff’s deputies initially thought was a search for a lost hunter morphed into a 23-day manhunt for a presumed killer, deep within the southern woodlands of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez, 34, was captured June 14 in Teanaway, a rural settlement 5 miles east of Cle Elum. He was booked into the Kittitas County Jail, charged with second-degree murder in connection with Eckles’ death and 22 other crimes, including burglaries and being in possession of stolen vehicles and firearms, jail and court records show. Alcantara entered not guilty pleas to all 23 counts when he was arraigned June 19, and he remains jailed in lieu of $3 million bail.

According to evidence in the case, Eckles likely died the night of May 16 or in the early morning hours of May 17.

Kent man still missing, but massive manhunt leads to arrest in his apparent homicide

To Note
•Eckles left Kent around 4 p.m. on May 16, a Saturday, his car packed with a shotgun, a handgun and camping gear.
•Headed North toward Liberty to hunt
•sent his friend a text message, saying he was in the Liberty area
•When his friend arrived on May 17, Eckles wasn’t there.
•Eckles likely died the night of May 16 or in the early morning hours of May 17
•May 18, he was a no show at work
•word spread he was missing
•Around 5 a.m. on May 23, some of Eckles’ friends spotted his vehicle on Forest Service Road 9738.
• They engaged the driver in a brief conversation before the man took off.
•the rear window of Eckles’ silver Cruiser had been blown out.
•As a detective and two sheriff’s deputies approached the vehicle the same day, a man popped out and began running, kicking off a manhunt that would grow to more than 100 officers
•It took officers with chain saws 12 hours to get Eckles’ vehicle off the mountain
•they found blood and other evidence of a violent assault, leading investigators to believe at least one gunshot had been fired from inside the vehicle and at least one gunshot had been fired from outside of it
•A little after 3 p.m. on June 14, Alcantara was arrested and now charged with second-degree murder in connection with Eckles’ death and 22 other crimes

Kent man still missing, but massive manhunt leads to arrest in his apparent homicide

During the investigation into Eckles’ disappearance, detectives in Kittitas and King counties learned Alcantara was allegedly in possession of a stolen vehicle that belonged to an 80-year-old Fall City woman, Nancy Holste, who was found dead at her home five days before Eckles disappeared. Holste’s and Eckles’ SUVs were hidden near each other in the woods, with items inside tying both vehicles to Alcantara, investigators said.

 

[YaYa_521]

@KittitasCountySheriff
27 Nov 2020
STILL MISSING
IAN ECKLES has been missing since May 17th 2020. He is believed to be a victim of homicide. The suspect is in custody.

Ian Eckles was supposed to meet a buddy in May to go turkey hunting north of Liberty, a tiny community in unincorporated Kittitas County.Eckles, 41, never met up with his friend, and the following Monday he didn’t show up for his job as a warehouse manager in Kent. Six days later, what Kittitas County Sheriff’s deputies initially thought was a search for a lost hunter morphed into a 23-day manhunt for a presumed killer, deep within the southern woodlands of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez, 34, was captured June 14 in Teanaway, a rural settlement 5 miles east of Cle Elum. He was booked into the Kittitas County Jail, charged with second-degree murder in connection with Eckles’ death and 22 other crimes, including burglaries and being in possession of stolen vehicles and firearms, jail and court records show.

To the public, private property owners, hunters, hikers, and anyone recreating in this area:
please call Kittcom at 509-925-8534 if you observe anything that looks out of place or possible human remains in the woods

Missing & Unidentified:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/missingunidentified/
More info: https://www.seattletimes.com/.../search-continues-for.../
Attempt to Locate

 

[YaYa_521]

Suspect in Ian Eckles' death pleads guilty to 8 felonies; homicide case continues
By Joe Utter Sep 22, 2020 Updated Sep 22, 2020

Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez, suspected of killing Ian Eckles in Kittitas County, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to several charges.

• theft of a motor vehicle
• possession of a stolen vehicle
• identity theft
• theft of two firearms
• residential burglary
• first-degree burglary
• second-degree burglary

 

[YaYa_521]

Murder suspect, illegal alien, had previous encounters with law enforcement
06/16/2020

SEATTLE – Murder suspect Jorge Omar Alcantara-Gonzalez, 41, is a Mexican citizen who is in the United States illegally. On June 14, Alcantara-Gonzalez was arrested by the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Department, charged with murder, burglary, theft and a variety of other local charges in connection with the disappearance of Ian Eckles. Eckles, 41, has been missing out of Kent since mid-May.

On the day of his arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) lodged an immigration detainer on Alcantara-Gonzalez with Kittitas County Jail requesting notification prior to him being released from custody.

Alcantara-Gonzalez has had several previous encounters with multiple law enforcement agencies, prior to his latest arrest:

On Dec. 26, 2017, Alcantara-Gonzalez was arrested by the Washington State Patrol, charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and detained at the King County Jail. He was released from local custody the next day before any action could be taken by ICE ERO.

On Dec. 17, 2018, Alcantara-Gonzalez was arrested by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department for failure to comply and detained at the Lewis County Jail. On Dec. 18, 2018, ICE ERO lodged an immigration detainer on Alcantara-Gonzalez. The following day, he was transferred to King County pursuant to a criminal warrant and detained at the Regional Justice Center of Washington.

On Dec. 20, 2018, ICE ERO lodged an immigration detainer on Alcantara-Gonzalez with the Regional Justice Center (RJC). On an unknown date, RJC failed to honor the immigration detainer and released him back into the community.

On Dec. 24, 2018, Alcantara-Gonzalez was arrested by the Seattle Police Department, charged with theft of a motor vehicle and detained at the King County Jail. On the same day, ICE ERO lodged an immigration detainer on Alcantara-Gonzalez. On June 6, 2019, as a result of this arrest, Alcantara-Gonzalez was convicted of vehicle prowling in the second degree. On an unknown date, the King County Jail failed to honor the immigration detainer and he was released back into the community.

On March 19, 2019, Alcantara-Gonzalez was arrested by the Seattle Police Department for three counts of failure to comply and detained at the King County Jail. On March 21, 2019, ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the jail. The King County Jail failed to honor the immigration detainer and he was released back into the community on a later date without prior notification to ICE.

On May 31, 2019, Alcantara-Gonzalez was convicted of the 2017 DUI charge in King County and sentenced to 364 days in jail, 363 suspended.

Alcantara-Gonzalez has been encountered by U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on three different occasions between 2003 and 2013. CBP voluntarily returned Alcantara-Gonzalez to Mexico on Nov. 20, 2003, Jan. 8, 2009 and Dec. 21, 2013. He illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location.

ICE’s mission remains consistent: to identify, arrest and remove aliens who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the country illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts.

Illegal re-entry is a federal criminal charge, and violators may face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

“When criminal aliens are released to the streets instead of being transferred to ICE custody, as in this case, it is a great injustice to the victims, their family, and the community at large,” said Michael Melendez, acting field office director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Seattle. “This is yet another example of a resource that our law enforcement partners could have used to keep a dangerous criminal off the streets, but instead chose not to honor our detainer and to release them to the community to reoffend instead.”

ICE lodges detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable aliens. The detainer asks the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE in advance of release and to maintain custody of the alien for a brief period of time so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody. When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission.

 

[Marg from Oz]

So much red tape and no coordination between agencies even though it is written in black and white. MOO

 

[CastlesBurning]

Q6 Cold Case: “The Deadly Getaway”

 

[YaYa_521]

Q6 Cold Case: “The Deadly Getaway”

The search for the remains of a presumed murdered hunter continues. Ian Eckles headed to the Liberty area in May of 2020 to meet some friends to go turkey hunting. He seemingly vanished before he could find them.

Snip

They are urging anyone who has or plans to hunt, camp or recreate near Mineral Springs, the Teanaway, Blewett Pass, or Liberty to remember and think about Ian’s story. They are hopeful this piece could jog someone’s memory who was in the area this past year who saw something that could be relevant. They are also asking anyone with game cameras to search for anything suspicious from Mid-May.

If you know anything that could help in locating Ian Eckle’s remains, call the Kittcom dispatch center at 509-925-8534. A deputy will contact you and determine how to proceed.

 

[Unsolved]

Article dated May 17, 2021 but unfortunately still no new info:
<snip>
"In a post Sunday, the sheriff’s office commemorated the one year anniversary of Eckles’s disappearance with a Facebook post asking people to continue to be on the lookout for any clues that might lead to finding him."

Kittitas County deputies continue search for Kent man missing since 2020 - YakTriNews.com

 

[MTW2011]

Just recently listed to The Vanished podcast episodes on this. WOW….friends and family searching for him and about a week in, when they’re running on little sleep & adrenaline, they see his vehicle come around the corner towards them. They’re hopes instantly dashed when they realized the driver was not at all their lost friend Ian.

I can’t imagine; the scenario felt so intense and I was only listening to it on a podcast!