Oregon SWAT Arrests California Murder Suspect Near Mount Hood

Cops in Oregon say they arrested a murder suspect who was hiding at a remote campground in the Mount Hood National Forest.

According to a press release from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, SWAT team members apprehended the suspect, Cris Jones, on August 2 near Harriet Lake. The 22-acre reservoir is located in an area overseen by the U.S. Forest Service approximately 60 miles southeast of Portland.

Officials say Jones, 60, is suspected of murdering a 61-year-old man named Daniel Joslin in California, and then assuming his identity.

Authorities have not released a motive or cause of death, but say they seized a knife and sheath from Jones’ front pants pocket as evidence.

Located along the Clackamas River, Harriet Lake boasts a remote campground with seven sites. On July 31, a CCSO deputy was patrolling the area when he came into contact with the murder suspect. Authorities said that, when asked, Jones allegedly identified himself as Joslin and claimed to be the owner of a black Ford F-150 pickup truck parked nearby.

“When the deputy checked the vehicle registration, the license plate matched the name provided by the man—Daniel Joslin,” CCSO wrote in a statement. “However, the records check also indicated that Joslin had recently been reported missing.”

Authorities say that on July 3, friends and family reported Joslin missing after they hadn’t heard from him in ten days. CCSO said in a statement that the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD) in California was investigating Joslin’s death as a murder—and that Jones was their primary suspect.

SBCSD found Joslin’s body on July 29, buried in a shallow grave in the backyard of the house that the two men shared in the town of Yucca Valley, California, according to a news release. The home is located about 1,000 miles from Harriet Lake, or around 17 hours of straight driving.

“On August 2, the CCSO SWAT Team and Air Unit deployed to the area where Jones had previously been contacted,” CCSO wrote in a statement. “The Air Unit located Jones and directed SWAT personnel to his location. Jones complied with commands and was taken into custody without incident.”

Video of the arrest from an aerial helicopter shows the outline of a man identified on-screen as the “suspect” as he walks near a truck in a heavily forested area. The footage also shows SWAT teams moving in by vehicle and on foot.

According to CCSO, Jones also had outstanding warrants in Clackamas and Washington Counties. Jones is being held for the murder of Joslin and is pending extradition to California. The investigation remains open.