DAVID "DAVE" EDWIN LEWIS: Murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008

David "Dave" Lewis was a 46 year old father of three. A jack of all trades and good man in any camp, Dave was well known and well respected in his mountain community where he lived on the summit of Dead Indian Memorial Road, 13 miles east of Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon for more than 20 years.

David was found dead after a fire at his rural cabin at 12801 Dead Indian Memorial Road. He had been murdered, shot & the cabin set fire.

David's remains were identified by DNA. There was also ANOTHER FIRE near Dave's cabin that same night, at a vacant vacation cabin at 18196 Dead Indian Memorial Road, about 5-6 miles away.

Edited to add media link: Dave Lewis was found murdered in his rural cabin east of Ashland, Oregon in 2008. His murder remains UNSOLVED!

 

[Tresir]

Yes, AFAIK only one cabin was rebuilt at 18196, but I could be mistaken.

Here are recent screenshots of the site of Dave's cabin at the summit for perspective.

View attachment 21317

View attachment 21318

Looks like there is still a cabin in the first 12801 pic. What dates were these?

 

[Red Clover]

The article you linked has these times for the fires near Dave's Cabin -

"The first fire, around 4 am at an empty cabin near Hyatt Lake.

The second, just 3 hours later, a few miles down the road at the home of 46-year-old David Lewis."

Those times are a lot different than 2 :30 am in the other article. Which is correct?

The 2020 article has what I consider to be inaccurate information about the times. In general it's not the best article but it is the latest article available about both cases.

The first fire reported (but most likely the second fire set) was for 18196 and was called in at approximately 2:35 am.

12801 was called in (maybe more than once) at approximately 3:10 am. I think the 4:00 am may come from when the responders arrived at 12801 or when someone looked at their watch.

It is believed that the first fire set was Dave's at 12801.

 

[Red Clover]

Looks like there is still a cabin in the first 12801 pic. What dates were these?

The building that is left on the property is an old cabin that has been used for storage on the property. Dave's three vehicles and this outbuilding did not burn.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Have I got this right? So the cabin at 18196 burnt down the same night that Dave was shot and burnt to death at the cabin at 12801. Two cabins were immediately built on that land at 18196 in 2008 and 2009 afterwards, but nothing has since been built at 12801 since Dave's murder, but it was sold in 2022 for 350k with no cabin on it.

It would still likely have all services, septic, electric, water and driveway etc. of course. Not sure if anything was rebuilt, has that been said? It isn't a knock but that one picture of the cabin showed it probably wasn't much. Perfect for a cabin don't get me wrong but in talking value it added to this coveted land, not so sure. A dwelling of any kind does add value but in the terms of overall price here, maybe not a lot.

Interesting that TWO were immediately built on the other. Not sure where you got that but I trust your statements and I don't get to read all as you know.

That could just be because of insurance money or was that land sold too?

There is the OFF chance these fires could be unrelated but it seems 99 percent unlikely.

I think the trick here even aside from Troy would be finding a connection between people with interest in these two cabins and their land or how both fires AND Dave's murder would benefit anyone. of course, again, the other fire could have been set to lead the trail from LE thinking it was someone just after Dave but that, like Troy, would seem to take some preplanning of adding a murder and adding fires that they hope LE would connect and think a larger picture than just wanting Dave dead....

Is there any possibility though otherwise that these two fires and Dave's death benefited someone in some way.... BOTH fires... Benefited the same person or even organization or business (just saying that if this is coveted land who knows...).

The other cabin was not close enough to impede use or prviacy of Dave's land or home so I wouldn't think it anything like someone just didn't want a next door neighbor as they weren't one and no one lived there... I still find it a bit odd that owner's last name was Lewis. I get it may not play in but it sticks in the head...

Personally this case/s is/are old enough that I think some interest and publicity and pushing LE for SOME info since nothing they have done to date has resulted in answers is something to think about.

It is 15+ years PAST. When do you change your strategy and put something out there to stir things up some? Seriously. How many personnel and LE have even come and gone or DA's etc.?

They could clear people OR again stir some things up with who they can't clear or whatever. Release some SHRED of info.

Think of Delphi, they were tough with it but they did as time passed make decisions to let a bit more out and stir it, even if that isn't what resulted in an arrest, it still was strategic or meant to be. Is THIS department doing anything or is it just old and cold?

Do they even have annual press conferences? Does news inquire every so often and what do they say or does news ignore it too?

Most here know I don't follow a lot of very old cases, I'll take a look here and there and have some but mostly I stay on more current years' crimes or ones i have followed from the start. A big part of the reason is there's just never anything new on old ones. This right now is new to me so all info is new and there is a lot of it.

I think LE needs to realize that even if no statute on murder, a lack of justice over too many years for victim's families is not okay either and if they can't get justice, they should think about letting a little info out. Not all of course but NOT everything needs to be held if it can stir interest, memories, help exclude someone or some theories and so on. Shake the case up a bit.

If I were a loved one I would not be okay with this.

 

[Red Clover]

It would still likely have all services, septic, electric, water and driveway etc. of course. Not sure if anything was rebuilt, has that been said? It isn't a knock but that one picture of the cabin showed it probably wasn't much. Perfect for a cabin don't get me wrong but in talking value it added to this coveted land, not so sure. A dwelling of any kind does add value but in the terms of overall price here, maybe not a lot.

AFAIK, the vacation cabin didn't have any conventional services. These are rural properties 13-18 miles outside of the city limits of Ashland.

If there was a sewage system, it's probably a septic system or you have an outhouse.

There's no conventional water service, you either have a spring box or a well; David had a spring box and a tank, and used kerosene lanterns and ground his coffee by hand.

For heat you would use a woodstove and you would cut your own firewood or buy it from someone who makes their living cutting firewood.

Interesting that TWO were immediately built on the other. Not sure where you got that but I trust your statements and I don't get to read all as you know.

That could just be because of insurance money or was that land sold too?

There is the OFF chance these fires could be unrelated but it seems 99 percent unlikely.

I think the trick here even aside from Troy would be finding a connection between people with interest in these two cabins and their land or how both fires AND Dave's murder would benefit anyone. of course, again, the other fire could have been set to lead the trail from LE thinking it was someone just after Dave but that, like Troy, would seem to take some preplanning of adding a murder and adding fires that they hope LE would connect and think a larger picture than just wanting Dave dead....

Is there any possibility though otherwise that these two fires and Dave's death benefited someone in some way.... BOTH fires... Benefited the same person or even organization or business (just saying that if this is coveted land who knows...).

The other cabin was not close enough to impede use or prviacy of Dave's land or home so I wouldn't think it anything like someone just didn't want a next door neighbor as they weren't one and no one lived there... I still find it a bit odd that owner's last name was Lewis. I get it may not play in but it sticks in the head...

It's definitely an unusual coincidence...

Personally this case/s is/are old enough that I think some interest and publicity and pushing LE for SOME info since nothing they have done to date has resulted in answers is something to think about.

I agree with you I have pushed but so far JCSO isn't budging.

It is 15+ years PAST. When do you change your strategy and put something out there to stir things up some? Seriously. How many personnel and LE have even come and gone or DA's etc.?

They could clear people OR again stir some things up with who they can't clear or whatever. Release some SHRED of info.

Think of Delphi, they were tough with it but they did as time passed make decisions to let a bit more out and stir it, even if that isn't what resulted in an arrest, it still was strategic or meant to be. Is THIS department doing anything or is it just old and cold?

Do they even have annual press conferences? Does news inquire every so often and what do they say or does news ignore it too?

There hasn't been a news report since 2020 that I am aware of.

Most here know I don't follow a lot of very old cases, I'll take a look here and there and have some but mostly I stay on more current years' crimes or ones i have followed from the start. A big part of the reason is there's just never anything new on old ones. This right now is new to me so all info is new and there is a lot of it.

I think LE needs to realize that even if no statute on murder, a lack of justice over too many years for victim's families is not okay either and if they can't get justice, they should think about letting a little info out. Not all of course but NOT everything needs to be held if it can stir interest, memories, help exclude someone or some theories and so on. Shake the case up a bit.

If I were a loved one I would not be okay with this.

I agree that more information should be released.

️

 

[GrandmaBear]

Now I have a Google of the time and distance to the Pilot Center near where Troy was shot.

So it makes sense to me that the perp shot Troy first, then went to Dave's, shot him and set him alight, while he was still alive, also setting his cabin alight, then headed over to 18196 and set that cabin alight too. Presumably there was only one cabin at 18196 in 2008, not two as there were after the fire.

If the perp had done the arsons first there would have been too many LE and fire personnel around the area for them to have committed the murder of Troy afterwards, but this is only my opinion.

Do we have the exact times of the murder of Troy and the reports of the fires? It is probably upthread so I will check.


View attachment 21316

Oh hang on, they weren't the same day Someone shot Troy to death in his sleeping bag, the night of 9/1 or the early morning of 9/2. He wasn't found till the afternoon of 9/4/2008.

The cabin fires were first reported at 2.30 am on the 9/4/2008, so Troy was shot at least 2 days before the arsons.

When was Dave last seen?

Yeah I found that out after initially thinking the same day. His mother couldn't reach Troy early on in the days and I think it likely he was killed that night or early morning after last seen at the truck stop. Before Dave by days anyhow... Which one has to think about too when wondering if connected. I do keep up some lol so it's nice to see you miss things too, not only me. Jk. Could whoever have holed up for a bit in the other cabin while ensuring Dave's burned and then torched it when he left to leave no evidence, fingerprints and so on. Probably not but a thought.

And that thought brings me to this thought. Would the relative have known about this other cabin? I'm not doubting him as a serious suspect but he wasn't from there and I guess I wonder how often he even was at Dave's or how well he knew the area. Did he know it intimately, did he ever reside or spend a ton of time there and recently on top of it to know the other cabin, what still was where and so on... I'd have to look back to see where he was from but wasn't it like the southeast or east coast of the US? Wasn't the entire family from there but Dave had moved to OR years back?

I guess a person could google and see recent pics of what exists there and current roads, etc. but that too then is taking quite the preplanning.

I don't have any strong opinion yet but just feel like a lot of this hints at someone local. Who was comfortable and familiar with the area, roads, knew Dave and where he lived, knew the other cabin, perhaps knew it to be empty and so on.

 

[Red Clover]

Yeah I found that out after initially thinking the same day. His mother couldn't reach Troy early on in the days and I think it likely he was killed that night or early morning after last seen at the truck stop. Before Dave by days anyhow... Which one has to think about too when wondering if connected. I do keep up some lol so it's nice to see you miss things too, not only me. Jk. Could whoever have holed up for a bit in the other cabin while ensuring Dave's burned and then torched it when he left to leave no evidence, fingerprints and so on. Probably not but a thought.

And that thought brings me to this thought. Would the relative have known about this other cabin? I'm not doubting him as a serious suspect but he wasn't from there and I guess I wonder how often he even was at Dave's or how well he knew the area. Did he know it intimately, did he ever reside or spend a ton of time there and recently on top of it to know the other cabin, what still was where and so on... I'd have to look back to see where he was from but wasn't it like the southeast or east coast of the US? Wasn't the entire family from there but Dave had moved to OR years back?

I guess a person could google and see recent pics of what exists there and current roads, etc. but that too then is taking quite the preplanning.

I don't have any strong opinion yet but just feel like a lot of this hints at someone local. Who was comfortable and familiar with the area, roads, knew Dave and where he lived, knew the other cabin, perhaps knew it to be empty and so on.

Dave and his family, including the relative that I used to work with and that Dave was expecting to just show up were familiar with the previous owners of the cabin at 18196.

This relative's husband's family owns a great deal of property up & down DIMR and still own some of the original land claims in the area.

It's a very small mountain top community, everyone knows everyone.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yes, this is one possible route.

Here's a map I created of an entire loop that includes the Pilot Center, hwy 140 route to DIMR, Soda Creek/Conde Creek, and the Greensprings route to DIMR, and the route that takes you through Ashland & Medford.

12801 Dead Indian Memorial Rd to Emigrant Lake

maps.app.goo.gl

View attachment 21319

I believe this person was very familiar with the backroads in the area & used a side road near or between 12801 & 18196 DIMR, possibly Conde Creek Road to get off the highway after the two fires on DIMR 9/4/2008.

Possibly camping in the Soda Creek area, Soda Springs, Latgawa Creek area that links directly to Hwy 140 from DIMR.

This is pure speculation on my part.

This goes to my question of how familiar would Dave's relative be, would he be very familiar?

I can think of places I visited year after year, more than a few, for years on end and I couldn't do that nor would I necessarily know the other cabin if anyone lived there at that time nor anything else. Sure I'd know my way around a bit better than someone else over the years visiting but not like if I'd lived there for some years. I could get to the local grocery store, between relatives homes, and various things but not know it like the back of my hand by any means if I went to do something like this. AND how the areas change over years too.

Iowa was one, every year of my life almost for decades and I still can't get around well where I visited every single year of my life. And when I do it has changed. Don't get me wrong, rural and mountain is different but still... That has its own challenges.

And I know where I grew up like the back of my hand, and in my sleep BUT even that has changed and it is rural. The same people don't live in the same houses, the same houses don't all stand and new ones have come and farm land been divided and more.

I don't need to sidetrack into such but it seems local and close. I'm not strong on it by any means, just going by a lot of these things as you said here in this post too, someone very familiar with the back roads. Knowing back roads is a local or someone who grew up there. I know this. I lived it and knew how visitors did not know them. Even my grandparents or aunts and uncles again from IA that came and visited us for decades didn't know them. They'd been on many with our family but couldn't do it themselves. They knew the way to town or to the nearest gas station and such. After years. The way to get to us and to get back out. Then the highway changed lol, etc.

This probably has to be strange to you having some around knowing nothing where an established thread with people you've talked to for years elsewhere have probably hashed this all out. To me it is all new. So I'm probably just asking tons of things you've already been through and I'm sorry for that.

The more I learn the more I'm not sure either way that Troy's is connected and whether it is or isn't, Dave's feels local. BUT it does feel personal too. Maybe not though. You could kill someone and set the place on fire just to destroy evidence with no feeling at all about him other than maybe he was in someone's way.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Is the Lewis Trust that owned the cabin at 18196 anything to do with Dave?

Supposedly not. It was back in the thread a ways that there's no Lewis connection as to relation at all. Sorry if already answered. Pretty active posts trying to catch up probably way behind.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Not that I am personally aware of.

Even days or a week before? When was family last in touch with him or anyone? Anything about inheritance or mom's property he needed to be in contact over? Or with the property owners? Or has this just not been shared? When do you know of as his last proof alive even if a month before?

 

[Red Clover]

This goes to my question of how familiar would Dave's relative be, would he be very familiar?

Yes, this relative lived in the area in the 80's-90's and their husband's family lived on and have owned a SUBSTANTIAL number of properties on DIMR for generations (since mid 1800's when the area was first settled)

 

[Red Clover]

Even days or a week before? When was family last in touch with him or anyone? Anything about inheritance or mom's property he needed to be in contact over? Or with the property owners? Or has this just not been shared? When do you know of as his last proof alive even if a month before?

I spoke with David about 10 days before his death. LE has not released any details about his last known whereabouts.

 

[Red Clover]

Aaah!!! I apologize if I haven't responded to some of your posts but I am pedaling as fast as I can!

️

 

[GrandmaBear]

I have heard that Dave went into Ashland that day and was also at Hyatt Lake that evening but LE wasn't able to confirm.

It stands out to me this was bar closing time and even if just prior, rural bars often close before legal closing if last patron has left. If he was at the bar that night, that fits in imo. It's not a definite of course but it does fit in again with someone local.

This is a bit besides the point but not really, did he date at all? He was a divorced single man. I forget his age but not old. I ask as in all cases we should as it could be an angry husband or ex for instance. Definitely NOT unheard of. You go to bars to socialize and to drink and to relax but often to meet someone as well or take someone home. It isn't any criticism, it would be very normal for a divorced single man with every right to do so. He'd been married, had children who I imagine he saw plenty but didn't have all the time and so it wouldn't be unusual for him to date when they weren't around and so on.

 

[Red Clover]

It stands out to me this was bar closing time and even if just prior, rural bars often close before legal closing if last patron has left. If he was at the bar that night, that fits in imo. It's not a definite of course but it does fit in again with someone local.

This is a bit besides the point but not really, did he date at all? He was a divorced single man. I forget his age but not old. I ask as in all cases we should as it could be an angry husband or ex for instance. Definitely NOT unheard of. You go to bars to socialize and to drink and to relax but often to meet someone as well or take someone home. It isn't any criticism, it would be very normal for a divorced single man with every right to do so. He'd been married, had children who I imagine he saw plenty but didn't have all the time and so it wouldn't be unusual for him to date when they weren't around and so on.

Yes, Dave was a healthy, hardworking, good looking guy in the prime of his life; he had a mountain girlfriend and an active social life that revolved around the bar at the resort for the most part.

I have seen one person suggest that the gf was an ex, but this gf came to my workplace to make sure I was aware of what had happened; my mom had already shown me a newspaper article but I have always appreciated that she took the time to let me know.

The resort at Hyatt Lake was the closest place for him to have a beer and have something to eat after work and was a big part of his normal routine.

Dave was an excellent cook but I got the sense that he would eat at the resort quite often.

️

 

[GrandmaBear]

I believe that this relative was VERY familiar with Dave, Dave's routine, the property he lived on and the backroads of the area.

This person also lived/lives in a state where it's dark for a good portion of the year. I have speculated that this person was or is accustomed to operating in darkness.

When I saw this person for the first time in about 25 years at Dave's memorial, I asked them where they were staying and they told me that they were camping "up on Soda Creek"

So, yah. They're definitely familiar with the cutoffs and backroads.

️

Okay that's good to know but it is still a lot different than knowing the area like the back of one's hand. I had relatives that didn't stay with us but rented the same cabin at a resort every year and they knew how to get there and "camp" or stay there and fish there and some of that surrounding area but they still couldn't have taken the same back roads as I could have as even a child. I can do the same to places I've went many times but i don't know what the locals do, you learn some, not all I guess is what I mean. You learn what you need to know or for what you want to do.

But yes that means he had some familiarity probably but I guess I'm not sold yet either way but then how can we ever be on anything, just can come to opinions which I will likely come to in time, it isn't solved and we don't know enough.

There's definitely plenty to have him front and center, I don't disagree, just doing as I do with a "new" case, trying to get what is known and get up to speed to form any opinion.

I mean you can google for where to camp and reviews and ways to get there. And driving in the dark in your own area is one thing, driving in it in some area you don't travel daily in mountains is another. I live also where it is dark early and long much of the year. That doesn't mean much to me. In his own area I'm sure he's great.

I'm not trying to debunk anything just so you know. Just asking and taking info and what I learn to either include or discard this or that based on it all. As I would in any case new to me.

If he's like been on SM and such, has anyone flat out asked him what he was doing in those days and where he was? Another thought that popped into my head lol. You are being kept busy, sorry. I have to drag myself off here anyhow and get something done. I get so little time I indulged for a bit and wasted what I shouldn't have of my day.

 

[Red Clover]

...has anyone flat out asked him what he was doing in those days and where he was?

This person isn't keen on answering questions as you can imagine... I have asked, yes.

I presume that LE has as well.

Q: Has their alibi for the weeks before and after 9/4/2008 been confirmed?

️

 

[GrandmaBear]

AFAIK, the vacation cabin didn't have any conventional services. These are rural properties 13-18 miles outside of the city limits of Ashland.

If there was a sewage system, it's probably a septic system or you have an outhouse.

There's no conventional water service, you either have a spring box or a well; David had a spring box and a tank, and used kerosene lanterns and ground his coffee by hand.

For heat you would use a woodstove and you would cut your own firewood or buy it from someone who makes their living cutting firewood.


It's definitely an unusual coincidence...


I agree with you I have pushed but so far JCSO isn't budging.


There hasn't been a news report since 2020 that I am aware of.


I agree that more information should be released.

️

When I talk conventional I mean septic as you said and well for water as you said. That's generally what rural has. Are you saying the well did not run through pipes in the cabin to sinks, toilet and that there was no electric? And possibly no toilet at all but an outhouse? Don't get me wrong, my grandma and grandpa's home was like this always. They had power though. They brought in milk cans of water from the pump and had an outhouse. So I know well what you are talking of if that is the case but again they had electric, at least when I was a child and radio and lights etc.

I'm not talking city sewer and water, I'm talking piped well water, a pressure tank, toilet, electricity brought from the road to the property. Did he have these conventional things? I assume the resort did. Didn't you say there was or is a camera? Power no? Did he have a generator? You're talking kerosene lamps so I am guessing no power.

So that brings an interesting question if no water or power, did he go to the truck stop to shower?

You said this was his kid's childhood home right? So they were roughing it, living off the land so to speak? Boy that would be hard as a young mother with diapers and messes and all and kids to bathe and laundry to do, no washer then either Id guess. I"ve lived that way so don't get me wrong, I know of what you're talking but it's unclear what he had or didn't have?

I'm just a bit startled if he had none of these things. Never realized that. I have no idea what a spring box is, I know what a well is and you can either hand pump a well (old time) or it is piped into your home to your sinks, toilet, washer, etc. and it is bona fide running water. That's how it is rural and mostly these days it has been converted to running water from wells. I mean this is only a few miles right from a resort and a half hour from the truck stop etc. tops?

Just trying to get the picture.

 

[Red Clover]

Okay that's good to know but it is still a lot different than knowing the area like the back of one's hand.

This relative is definitely more familiar with the area than I am.

This relative of Dave's married into a multigenerational family that owns many properties up & down DIMR and has since the mid 1800's.

I plan on camping up at Hyatt Lake this summer to become more familiar with the area myself.

I have driven through the area and have camped at other mountain lakes in the region.

I used to clean a house on DIMR about 12 miles up, and like you @GrandmaBear I would not be comfortable driving in the area at night, or in bad weather, let alone on backroads but I believe this person did.

After all, these murders and arsons all took place in the middle of the night when most of us are tucked up in our beds fast asleep.

DIMR is a very twisty STEEP mountain highway (from 2500' elevation in Ashland to approximately 5500' at the summit over 13 miles) with absolutely no lights.

When it's dark out there it's pitch black out, you can barely see your hands in front of your face without moonlight or some kind of illumination.

You can probably tell I have thought alot about this. I by no means think I have the only perspective, I wish more people that knew Dave would have come forward by now but I know how silenced I felt early on and I can imagine others may have felt that way too.

I only started actively thinking about his case again in early 2023.

Not that I didn't remember my friend all those years.

He was the kind of friend who will always be missed.

️

 

[GrandmaBear]

Dave and his family, including the relative that I used to work with and that Dave was expecting to just show up were familiar with the previous owners of the cabin at 18196.

This relative's husband's family owns a great deal of property up & down DIMR and still own some of the original land claims in the area.

It's a very small mountain top community, everyone knows everyone.

Okay now I am confused. The relative's husband. The same relative Dave thought would show up and you worked with sand same relative has a hub, is this a female? Or do we have two married men? Totally lost now in what I thought I was following. I thought it was "he" was used to driving in the dark and so on and so on. Not asking anyone to be named but now it doesn't seem to be the same person or sex even.

Interesting to know a relative or a spouse of a relative or whatever or that spouse's family owned a lot of the property around though.

But I'm totally lost as to the relative now and thought I had a handle.