CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. — Kyle Kirchem, 31, who went missing from Gladstone a little over two months ago, was found dead in a creek earlier this week near Rainbow Campground in Mount Hood National Forest, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) reported.
According to Gladstone police, Kirchem drove away from his home on Nov. 20, leaving behind his cell phone. His family reported him missing two days later.
His vehicle was found on Nov. 23 in Estacada near Highway 224 and Riverside Campground. At the time, police said his airbags were not deployed and there were no signs that he'd been injured. A search of the area at that time found no sign of him.
On Jan. 29, Kirchem's family members were out searching for him and contacted CCSO after they found an item of his clothing near Rainbow Campground, located about 45 miles southeast of Gresham. After a search and rescue crew responded, family members found Kirchem's body in a nearby creek.
The Facebook page "Find Kyle" posted a statement in which they said the medical examiner determined Kirchem's likely cause of death was head injuries from the crash.
"Our hearts are broken. We love Kyle so much and miss him dearly. Please be respectful of our family and friends during this time," it said.
Police have not confirmed the cause and manner of death.
Ashley Walton, one of several family members who continued to search for Kirchem, told KGW late last year that she believed she was the last person to see her brother on the night of Nov. 19. Walton said Kirchem loved to hike and believed that's what he was heading out to do when his car went off the road.
Walton said from the gear they found when Kirchem's vehicle was located, it looked like Kirchem had tried to tow himself out of the embankment at the site of the crash before walking away.