OR OR - David 'Dave' Lewis, 46, Ashland, 4 September 2008

[Red Clover]

The property where Dave was the caretaker for over 20 years sold in December. Feast your eyes on the beauty that surrounded him. His boys grew up here. There are several photos from a distance above, showing the foundation of his home the murderer/arsonist burned down with Dave’s body in it. :-(

12801 Dead Indian Memorial Rd, Ashland, OR 97520 - See Est. Value, Schools & More

12801 Dead Indian Memorial Rd, Ashland, OR 97520 is a 0 bath home sold in 2022. See the estimate, review home details, and search for homes nearby.

www.trulia.com

It doesn't get much more beautiful.
I believe Dave is still there watching over the land as he did for more than 23 years.

 

[Red Clover]

My sentiments, exactly.

Thank you too @Lilibet

 

[Gemmie]

He kept the gate locked unless he was expecting someone, I think at least one person either shared the driveway or had property rights to use the driveway. I personally think it was only one person but again that's hard to say. Who would go to all the trouble? The driveway is long and steep, with deep ruts, you have to want to get to the top of that hill to drive up there, it's not a casual driveway. As for Labor Day, I've wondered if someone traveled there specifically to confront David.
As far as rage, it's very very likely whoever it was, was mad, mad, mad. So mad they'd lie in wait, possibly follow him home, disable him, tie him up, rifle through his possessions (vehicles/$/?), shoot him, douse his body with accelerants, set his house on fire

I've always wondered if the person(s) were at his memorial?

SBMFF

Did anyone other than Dave have a key? What's your feeling that whoever did it had been to his house before?

I know of one person who asked him about giving them part of his share, Dave told them no, but told me he fully "expected them to just show up" There was a broader discussion about the disposition of his parents property

SBMFF

Was what Dave inherited sizeable? Enough to make someone "mad, mad, mad" enough to kill him over it?

 

[Red Clover]

SBMFF

Did anyone other than Dave have a key? What's your feeling that whoever did it had been to his house before?

I don't know who else may have had a key.

[I'm also curious how the Greensprings Volunteer Fire District firefighters accessed the property in the early morning of 9/4/08.]

Was the gate already open? Was it locked? If someone was following him it may have been left open. I was told at one time by a family member that his driver's side door on the Jeep was open.

Dave had a landline and I'm not sure you could reach him with a cellphone if you were at the bottom of the driveway for him to come down to unlock the gate. It was always prearranged when he was expecting someone. He was very sensitive to someone just rolling up. You could definitely hear someone driving up the driveway.

SBMFF

Was what Dave inherited sizeable? Enough to make someone "mad, mad, mad" enough to kill him over it?

I don't know the exact amounts but it sounded sizable by the way he talked about them, 10's of thousands each.

I do think that it was enough to cause contention and yes, possibly make someone mad. He said the person was mad enough that he had told them no, that he "expected them to just show up"

Dave made it very clear in our conversations that he wasn't going to just "give" half of his inheritance to anyone, especially someone he felt had already squandered their own share.

 

[Red Clover]

What's your feeling that whoever did it had been to his house before?

<snipped by RC for clarity>

Yes. My sense is this person was very familiar with Dave, his routine, the routes he took, the property, his vehicles & belongings, as well as the surrounding areas, & backroads. This wasn't a stranger IMO

 

[Gemmie]

That's a great question. I know of one person who asked him about giving them part of his share, Dave told them no, but told me he fully "expected them to just show up" There was a broader discussion about the disposition of his parents property and guardianship of an adult sibling as well. Others close to Dave were probably aware of the checks too, but I don't know specifically who besides the one family member he told me he had this discussion with...

I'm thinking that is info that investigators know/have been told.

 

[Red Clover]

I'm thinking that is info that investigators know/have been told.

Yes

 

[Gemmie]

I've never sensed Dave's case was random with the multiple crime scenes but like with Ed's case maybe the time will come when the person turns themselves in and confesses. <modsnip: posting inside information without properly being verified> I'm reasonably certain justice will prevail, eventually. David deserves that.

Hi Red Clover,

I was wondering if you wanted to post some of your thoughts now on things that were modsnipped before you became insider verified. This is one of those posts.

 

[Red Clover]

Hi Red Clover,

I was wondering if you wanted to post some of your thoughts now on things that were modsnipped before you became insider verified. This is one of those posts.

Here, I was talking about an acquaintance of mine who was interviewed in the Ed Krahel case that @Lilibet had referred to; as Ed, a well known local, was killed and his house set on fire and noone was caught till many years later when the perpetrator was pulled over for something different (in another state) and confessed.

 

[Red Clover]

Has anything ever happened with the tips that go to the fishhookdavelewis at yahoo email tipline?

I think there was a tipline that went to Dave's old landline number too? [...-6017]

I think they're private and not associated with LE, but I am curious what those messages could contain.

Have those been reported to
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office?
The FBI?
The US Marshals Service?
The Oregon State Police?

This case has been languishing for more than 14 years now.

I've heard the same narrative as other locals, friends and family all these years; that someone that lived on the mountain probably killed Dave because he was outspoken and held others to a high moral standard, that he didn't agree with what some people were doing or planning to do; that there had been heated discussions and Dave even said (to me) at one point "over my dead body"

But would someone really kill somebody over some heated middle aged guy bar talk?

These guys all hung out regularly, fishing, eating, drinking, working.

I mean maybe, but I've never really thought so and have never seen any evidence any of those guys were involved.

Maybe I'm wrong.

What other theories of this case have you heard or considered over the years?

 

[Gemmie]

Has anything ever happened with the tips that go to the fishhookdavelewis at yahoo email tipline?

I think there was a tipline that went to Dave's old landline number too? [...-6017]

I think they're private and not associated with LE, but I am curious what those messages could contain.

Have those been reported to
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office?
The FBI?
The US Marshals Service?
The Oregon State Police?

This case has been languishing for more than 14 years now.

I've heard the same narrative as other locals, friends and family all these years; that someone that lived on the mountain probably killed Dave because he was outspoken and held others to a high moral standard, that he didn't agree with what some people were doing or planning to do; that there had been heated discussions and Dave even said (to me) at one point "over my dead body"

But would someone really kill somebody over some heated middle aged guy bar talk?

These guys all hung out regularly, fishing, eating, drinking, working.

I mean maybe, but I've never really thought so and have never seen any evidence any of those guys were involved.

Maybe I'm wrong.

What other theories of this case have you heard or considered over the years?

When I first saw the request for tips to go to a personal account and not to LE I found that very odd. It's like a non-LE person was vetting what they deemed important enough to tip over. ALL tips should go to LE IMHO. Not ones deemed important enough. Or ones whomever decided "Nah, I'm not going to send this tip over about so and so because s/he's a nice guy/gal and no way they did that to Dave". It just feels like wanting to know who killed Dave, but not if it's someone I like/know. Dunno... it's just odd.

And yeah, someone really could kill a middle aged guy over a heated debate. People are strange IMHO. But I'm not sure that's the way I'm leaning on this case.

As for the personal tip line... I'd like to think 100% got turned over to LE. Perhaps whomever is/was monitoring it purely wanted to know what all tips were being sent in which they wouldn't be privy to if they went straight to LE. I'd like to think it's that rather than the alternative (picking and choosing).

All MOO

 

[Red Clover]

When I first saw the request for tips to go to a personal account and not to LE I found that very odd. It's like a non-LE person was vetting what they deemed important enough to tip over. ALL tips should go to LE IMHO. Not ones deemed important enough. Or ones whomever decided "Nah, I'm not going to send this tip over about so and so because s/he's a nice guy/gal and no way they did that to Dave". It just feels like wanting to know who killed Dave, but not if it's someone I like/know. Dunno... it's just odd.

All tips should definitely go to LE, that's what got me wondering today. It's definitely odd.

And yeah, someone really could kill a middle aged guy over a heated debate. People are strange IMHO. But I'm not sure that's the way I'm leaning on this case.

You're right, people are strange and certainly stranger things have happened. I never got the feeling it was his bff's. I also don't think they'd have gone to so much trouble either, they saw him almost everyday at the lake and there's plenty of backroads and hidden spots if something had happened up there. His house feels more up close and personal, more ragey.

As for the personal tip line... I'd like to think 100% got turned over to LE. Perhaps whomever is/was monitoring it purely wanted to know what all tips were being sent in which they wouldn't be privy to if they went straight to LE. I'd like to think it's that rather than the alternative (picking and choosing).

All MOO

It's hard to know how usual or transparent the private tipline process is. Is that something P.I.'s do? I don't know.
It's interesting that a murder and two arsons of this nature could occur and there is still no official narrative from LE. None. Noone has ever been named as a POI or suspect. It's a little disheartening. My hope is LE has a process for following up or reviewing the tips they HAVE received over the years and at some point more information can be provided to the public. The not knowing is exhausting.

 

[Red Clover]

The summit is at 5236'
This is a live traffic cam looking west

https://www.traffic-cams.com/county/oregon/feed911110didkey23192

 

[Red Clover]

TW: Graphic questions ahead
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Did Dave hear his killer that night?
Did they follow him home? Was there a confrontation? There's something up close and personal about shooting someone before dousing them with accelerants and setting them afire in their beloved home. Why?

Who does that? What does it take to get through an ordeal like that? Was Dave expecting someone? Did he know his murderer? Did he fight with everything he had? Was he caught off guard? Did they sneak attack? Did they disable him before shooting him? Did he try to get to the phone? Why?

What did he have for dinner that night? What did he do that last day? His youngest son's birthday was the 5th; what kind of plans had they made to celebrate?
And just why? Why Dave? Why Labor Day? Why?

How did they disable him?
What did they tie him up with?
What kind of gun was used to kill Dave?

What kind of accelerants were used? Kerosene? Gasoline? Starter fluid? What? Were his acetylene or propane tanks opened?

Was Dave set fire and his house burned or was the house set fire and Dave burned? We know he had smoke in his lungs; was he still alive and conscious when the fire broke out?

Did the person or persons plan the event or did it unfold organically?

Who was at the second cabin on the day and night of 9/3/08? What were they doing there? Were they lying in wait or just biding their time?

Did someone put out yellow flagging to mark Conde Creek Road that day? Were they camping up on Soda Creek?

Were they watching while the fires burned knowing David was inside his beloved home with his belongings?

Who benefited from David's death?

Is the person evil? Cowardly? Greedy? Jealous? Conniving? Manipulative? A Psycho? A Sicko?

Did David know his killer? Did he plead with them to spare his life? To think of his kids? What were his last words? What went through his mind in those last moments of his precious life

What was the affect on his kids, his family, his friends? What were the affects to the property he had so meticulously tended? Are his friends still reeling, in shock this could happen to someone they loved? Was his mountain community forever changed in the aftermath? Who helped with the plowing and wood splitting for neighbors? Who took up that slack?

Will any of us ever be the same knowing there's someone out there willing to create such chaos? Someone willing to create such despair? Someone willing to destroy a man's life? Someone willing and able to kill? What does one gain from such actions?

Did they smell his body burning?

Did they set the second fire as a distraction?
What kind of evidence was destroyed?
Did they see the firefighters response?
Are they remorseful?

Did they know Dave?

Did they know he was loved?
Did they know how hard he worked?
Did they know how creative he was?
Did they know his story?
Did they look him in the eye?
Have they done this before?
Have they done this since?
Are they cowards?
Will they ever admit to it?

WHO killed Dave?

WHAT reason did they have?

WHEN did they decide?
WHERE did they go?

WHY Dave?

WHY Labor Day weekend?

HOW do they live with themselves?

 

[Sleuth2010]

Final moments on earth, would have been most gruesome. No one should die like Dave Lewis did.
Dave and Windy. Happier days -

 

[Sleuth2010]

David Lewis' family searching for answers 6 years later - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

Medford, Ore.– Dave Lewis loved to fish and boat.His family members said the last six years without him have been hard to bare. Lewis’ relative wanted to remain anonymous but said, “He’s missed without a doubt you know. He still lives in the household in commentary and you know it’s part of a...

kobi5.com

Medford, Ore.–

" Dave Lewis loved to fish and boat. His family members said the last six years without him have been hard to bare.

Lewis’ relative wanted to remain anonymous but said, “He’s missed without a doubt you know. He still lives in the household in commentary and you know it’s part of a daily routine. It’s a great deal of sadness having someone taken away from you.”

<modsnip: copyright> Lewis’ sister is offering a $20,000 reward for information on who killed her brother."

 

[Red Clover]

This Mail Tribune article was retrieved from The Wayback Machine, a web archive.

The fires happened in the very early morning hours of September 4th, a Thursday.

This was one of the first articles mentioning Dave's death after the fire, dated Friday September 5th, 2008.

MailTribune.com: Man dies in one of two cabin fires

Firefighters discovered a badly burned body in one of two cabins destroyed by separate fires along Dead Indian Memorial Road early Thursday.

web.archive.org

A driver on Dead Indian Memorial Road spotted and reported the first fire near the intersection with Keno Access Road just before 3 a.m., said Gene Davies, chief of the all-volunteer Greensprings Fire and Rescue. A crew of six volunteers found the small, rustic cabin at 18196 Dead Indian Memorial Road engulfed in flames, he said. Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters joined the fight against the flames. Crews used three water tanker trucks and a portable water pond to douse the flames, but the weekend retreat burned to the ground.

At about 4 a.m., 9-1-1 calls from the Ashland Mine Road area reported seeing flames on the hillside across the valley, Jackson County Fire District No. 5 Chief Dan Marshall said. As district trucks headed up from the valley below, crews from the earlier fire roughly five miles down the road spotted the flames shooting into the sky and were the first to arrive at the burning cabin, he said.

Attached: Picture of the cabin at 12801 before the fire from Jackson County Assessors

 

[Lilibet]

From the article, quoting Dave’s sister…

MailTribune.com: Man dies in one of two cabin fires

Firefighters discovered a badly burned body in one of two cabins destroyed by separate fires along Dead Indian Memorial Road early Thursday.

web.archive.org

“She said Lewis had gone through an acrimonious divorce in 1999, followed by a string of misdemeanor assault and harassment convictions. He had a decades-old felony conviction for growing marijuana, which prevented him from keeping a firearm for protection, Miller said.”
———————

I wish the reporter had just quoted Dave’s sister as saying: “Lewis was an outspoken man who could have made enemies. He did not own a firearm for protection” and left out the unnecessary “dirty laundry.” I mean it was just the day after he was murdered. Reporters need to show some sensitivity in what they report. That information might help LE, but it wouldn’t help his boys or the public zero in on who could have murdered Dave.

JMO

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Sleuth2010 is now a Verified member. As a VI, they may post their personal knowledge and inside information about the case without having to provide supporting links. In all other respects, a VI must post in accordance with TOS as regular members are required to do.

Verified members are to be treated with respect at all times. Members may ask questions of them and apply however much weight they feel is appropriate to information provided. A VI does not have to answer any questions they are not comfortable with answering or may not be able to answer. Bickering and snarky comments are not allowed, and if there is something you disagree with, do not argue with a VI, just make your mental notes and scroll and roll.

Thank you to our Verified members and to all others who are here to discuss Dave's case and hopefully get some answers to what truly happened.

 

[Gemmie]

ADMIN NOTE:

Sleuth2010 is now a Verified member. As a VI, they may post their personal knowledge and inside information about the case without having to provide supporting links. In all other respects, a VI must post in accordance with TOS as regular members are required to do.

Verified members are to be treated with respect at all times. Members may ask questions of them and apply however much weight they feel is appropriate to information provided. A VI does not have to answer any questions they are not comfortable with answering or may not be able to answer. Bickering and snarky comments are not allowed, and if there is something you disagree with, do not argue with a VI, just make your mental notes and scroll and roll.

Thank you to our Verified members and to all others who are here to discuss Dave's case and hopefully get some answers to what truly happened.

Way cool @Sleuth2010! Welcome back as an insider! Very interesting that we have not one but TWO VI's on this thread!

Thank you, Sillybilly!