A man from California is accused of killing his roommate, burying the body in a backyard grave, and then stealing the victim’s truck, traveling over 1,100 miles while posing as the deceased.
Last week, officers in Oregon stumbled upon an unexpected situation when they found a camper in Mt. Hood National Forest claiming to be 61-year-old Daniel Joslin, the registered owner of a nearby black Ford F-150.
While the truck’s registration and license plate matched, there was a significant issue: Joslin had been reported missing.
Authorities soon realized the individual they were speaking to was not Joslin. Instead, it was allegedly his murderer and roommate, 60-year-old Cris Jones.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office informed Oregon officials that they had been searching for Jones after Joslin vanished without a trace, having not been heard from in 10 days.
This led to a gruesome discovery.
A day before Oregon authorities encountered Jones, and more than a month since Joslin was reported missing, investigators in California discovered Joslin’s body buried in a shallow grave at their Yucca Valley residence. Authorities say Jones had fled the home and traveled north, eventually arriving at Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest.
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On August 2, Oregon authorities moved in, deploying a SWAT team and air unit to apprehend Jones near Harriet Lake, where he was first encountered by police.
Aerial footage captured the dramatic moment when officers surrounded Jones at gunpoint.
Officers reportedly found a knife and sheath in Jones’ front pants pocket. He also had outstanding warrants in Clackamas and Washington counties, according to officials.
Jones is currently held at the Clackamas County Jail on the murder charge and is awaiting extradition to California.
According to his Facebook profile, Jones attended Portland State University.
The investigation is still ongoing.
