Skeletal remains found in wooded area identified as Oregon man; death suspicious
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Skeletal remains found in rural Jackson County nearly one year ago, were recently identified as 63-year-old Nathan Louis Merkel of Wimer, Ore., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office announced March 25.
Merkel was reported missing in September of 2023 and his remains were found in a remote, wooded area of Applegate, 15 miles west of Jacksonville, on April 14. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office maintains that the cause of Merkel’s death is suspicious. Authorities are investigating leads but have not identified any suspects linked to Merkel’s death.
“JCSO detectives are investigating the case and believe Merkel died via suspicious circumstances,” the JCSO said. “Detectives have identified persons of interest who are currently out-of-county in custody on unrelated charges.”
The suspects names will be released if and when the investigation results in criminal charges, the JCSO said. Detectives do not believe that the suspects in this case are a danger to the public at this time.