OR FOUR PEOPLE: Missing from McKenzie River Valley, Lane County, OR - 2020-2023 *Two Found Deceased*

Mystery deepens as four people remain missing in Blue River/Vida area

Mekenna Reiley is one of four people who have recently gone missing in the Blue River/Vida area. Partial remains of Shane Sprenger were found last month. Spreng

nbc16.com

Mystery deepens as four people remain missing in Blue River/Vida area
Mekenna Reiley is one of four people who have recently gone missing in the Blue River/Vida area. Partial remains of Shane Sprenger were found last month. Sprenger had been missing since November 2021. His remains were found off Quartz Creek Road.
That's where Chase Roberson's car was found in April 2020. Robertson is still missing.

There's also Eric Ray Brazil. He was last seen in Springfield, but his car was found abandoned in Vida with his cell phone nearby. Brazil has not been found.

Last week our newsroom asked LCSO if these four people could be connected.

"The best I could do to put any minds at ease on that is to say we have not discovered any evidence that leads us to believe that they are linked or related or that there is a serial killer," LCSO Public Information Officer Sgt. Tom Speldrich explained. "Certainly if we're able to uncover any information that would lead us to believe that, we would be letting the public know for safety reasons, but we have nothing that tells us that that's the case right here. It's a wooded, wilderness, rural area. It's tough terrain. It can be hard to find people if they go missing in those areas so while I can't say definitively that there's not a link, we have nothing that makes us think that there is at this point."






To be clear, this is an approximately 30-mile stretch of rural Oregon with 4 missing persons in the last 3 years. I have no idea if the cases are related. LE is saying they are not, but we have heard that before, very recently. Regardless, posting here for awareness and discussion. Even if they're not at all related, a little more awareness doesn't hurt.

 

[GrandmaBear]

The article linked below is informative of each case.
I agree with the LCSO that the cases aren't linked and with the personal opinion of the author.

Missing in Paradise

The McKenzie River Valley — the collective name given to Lane County’s nine unincorporated communities known as Cedar Flat, Camp Creek, Walterville, Leaburg, Vida, Nimrod, Finn Rock, Blue River and…

eugeneweekly.com

There were different people in that one, some.

I agree they don't seem to be connected, at least not all of them. I guess one or two or some such could be but I don't see any real reason to think that either. If any are, I'd only mean probably in the sense of the same dealer, owing the same person money, something like that. I don't think that though, and see no real reason to think any connected necessarily.

What is a common consensus is most families are unhappy with this sheriff's department.

Good morning

 

[Kimster]

I don’t think any of them are connected.

 

[GrandmaBear]

A common denominator (not necessarily in all) seems to be drug use, whether intentional or self choosing or not.

The one woman, who actually had an encounter with LE and construction workers, I'd wonder, if I have them straight, I did skim the thread again to refresh and read the most recent links. Isn't that the one the sister says LE said maybe roofied or on acid, LE denies saying it, so either she is lying or they are.... It does sound like the dept. could use some training and cleaning of house...

So most had some addiction or substance abuse problem and/or mental issues and possible crises. Yet they all go missing in the same neck of the woods. Over years. That doesn't mean of course there is any connection. It's hard when one is not from the area but that could be I'm guessing just because that's where many would go to either get them or use them, etc.?

 

[Kimster]

I’ve heard rumors that Blue River can be a rough area to visit due to partiers. I’ve been there once years ago and we didn’t anyone at all. I’ve been to all those small towns like Vida and Nimrod, too. I’ve been through/to Walterville a lot, and I don’t see anything scary there. Then again, I don’t hang out at night either.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I don't go out at night either but I used to and it takes some eyes being opened to know what is really going on with some. Mine certainly had to be opened over years of life... What can seem like the most sleepy areas OR downright normal seeming areas can sure have underbellies.

I can look at what I know and then what a relative knows who I don't know if prefers to close it off and go into denial or it is just the generations...

Not from there though of course so harder to know or picture.

 

[Kimster]

I don't go out at night either but I used to and it takes some eyes being opened to know what is really going on with some. Mine certainly had to be opened over years of life... What can seem like the most sleepy areas OR downright normal seeming areas can sure have underbellies.

I can look at what I know and then what a relative knows who I don't know if prefers to close it off and go into denial or it is just the generations...

Not from there though of course so harder to know or picture.

They are typical little mountain towns that were probably a day's buggy ride from each other at one time. We used to eat at an old diner in Vida, but I hear the fires of 2020 took the diner. I have no idea if they rebuilt or not.

Lots of beautiful trees all along the highway with the picturesque McKenzie river running alongside. One time, YDS and I had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner at Belknap Springs. Afterward, we sat in the natural hot springs pool with snow piled up beside us. I'll never forget it.

There's a lot of campers and hikers in the area, so it's not just a partier's playground. The only area I've heard that you shouldn't go alone is an area of the Blue River. Seems like there's some kind of swimming that goes on up the road there, but I've only been to the camping area and didn't hike to the falls.

 

[GrandmaBear]

They are typical little mountain towns that were probably a day's buggy ride from each other at one time. We used to eat at an old diner in Vida, but I hear the fires of 2020 took the diner. I have no idea if they rebuilt or not.

Lots of beautiful trees all along the highway with the picturesque McKenzie river running alongside. One time, YDS and I had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner at Belknap Springs. Afterward, we sat in the natural hot springs pool with snow piled up beside us. I'll never forget it.

There's a lot of campers and hikers in the area, so it's not just a partier's playground. The only area I've heard that you shouldn't go alone is an area of the Blue River. Seems like there's some kind of swimming that goes on up the road there, but I've only been to the camping area and didn't hike to the falls.

Thank you for the info. The older I think the more I realize how things change too or maybe I just never saw. No idea of this area so try to compare to what I do know in my own of course. The striking thing I'd guess to anyone not from there is most of the victims maybe had some substance abuse issues so I wondered if that was a thing about the area.

It is the thing about following cases, I mean we can't know in most unless one hits close to home or some such and one knows more of the area, the people, hears such, etc. As we don't live there.

I see it in others too. Some just assume a wooded area is so bad that animals take remains and so on. It's just not always the case. Or that one would get lost so easily. SOME areas, certainly, but I've seen those that have always lived mostly in the city that are scared if they get out of the city. And so I guess I try to get an idea. We grew up traipsing woods and I mean REAL woods, rivers, and always made it home, maybe luckily sometimes. We went skating on an unfrozen river for instance, seemed to have ice, NOT smart. Just an example.

Which has nothing to do with this and adults, just trying to get an idea of the underbelly, and the terrain, etc.

And then generations change, places change, problems change and the people change...

You just mentioned the fires too.

there's a few cars of these victims that were found. And I don't mean victim as to foul play necessarily but as to they are missing or were found dead. What is your thought re why in this area?

I honestly don't see a connection here necessarily, just trying to get an idea of the area/s.

It's like talking about different areas. Here you'd be hard put to find that many people went missing or died in an even 50 mile radius in 50 years. I am trying to explain it just isn't the case here. There just isn't that much murder nor so many missing people, much less in one area. Never has been.

It's part of why I try to talk of our various areas like as in how we can pump gas lol and 12 year olds can. It is funny but not. I think it is good to all get a glimpse or understanding of other areas and this is within our own states. Much less other countries.

I could not tell you of that many unassociated people missing in the same area either in my states or the ones on any side of me. OR beneath us or nearby.

Yet I don't see them as connected. Because I've learned it isn't that way elsewhere necessarily. I hate our winters, etc. but I am really starting to appreciate the lack of major crime and so on. Don't get me wrong, it goes on, pretty rare, but not to where again you'd have this many people in one area, even over years.

Again, thanks for giving a glmpse/idea of the area.

 

[Regina]

There were different people in that one, some.

I agree they don't seem to be connected, at least not all of them. I guess one or two or some such could be but I don't see any real reason to think that either. If any are, I'd only mean probably in the sense of the same dealer, owing the same person money, something like that. I don't think that though, and see no real reason to think any connected necessarily.

What is a common consensus is most families are unhappy with this sheriff's department.

Good morning

Thank you, and good morning!

Yeah, in MeKenna Reiley's case, I'd like to know why she wasn't taken in for a mental health evaluation!

 

[GrandmaBear]

Thank you, and good morning!

Yeah, in MeKenna Reiley's case, I'd like to know why she wasn't taken in for a mental health evaluation!

Agreed!

 

[Regina]

Agreed!

Yeah, I mean, there's no acceptable reason as to why that didn't happen!
There was only one thing to do in that situation, only one way to handle it. Just one!

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yeah, I mean, there's no acceptable reason as to why that didn't happen!
There was only one thing to do in that situation, only one way to handle it. Just one!

I certainly agree with you there again! We don't always but I do on this one! NO EXCUSE at all and that should be being addressed!

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

More on the skull. It was found a YEAR and a HALF ago. And it's been sitting on a shelf. The FAMILIES are paying to have it tested.

Families of missing persons get DNA test of skull fragments after 20-month delay

A group of families are celebrating progress in getting human skull fragments DNA tested after 20 months of waiting in a lab. They also point out eastern Lane County's "trouble

www.kezi.com

Families of missing persons get DNA test of skull fragments after 20-month delay​

A group of families are celebrating progress made in getting human skull fragments found in an extremely rural area of Lane County DNA tested after 20 months of waiting.

Parrish Bryson is the father of Michael Bryson, a 27-year old man who went missing back in August of 2020 after attending a rave roughly 20 miles east of Cottage Grove.

Although Bryson does not believe the skull fragments -- discovered in the Blue River area -- belong to his son. He said he and several other families with missing loved ones worked together to get the fragments tested for DNA.

"There were human remains found in September of '23. It was a skull. It was entered into Oregon State Labs October 1 of '23. And it has been sitting on a shelf ever since. Those remains could potentially belong to any one of a minimum of three cases that I'm aware of in that area," Bryson said. "As far as a win is concerned, it could still have been sitting on that shelf had we not been vocal. When I say we, it's just not Michael Bryson Foundation, but also Dylan Legacy and the families of the missing loved ones that are up in that area."


"We were basically told that if we wanted to expedite the testing of this skull, that we would have to come up with $3,500, the families. The foundations don't think that should rest on the families. They're already going through enough. So Dylan's Legacy was able to fundraise and cover that cost," Bryson said. "Because of the amount of exposure that has come from this and the emails that were submitted, the state of Oregon finally said, 'We will pay for it, and we are sending it off this week to Bode Technology in Virginia.'" Bryson said it will now take an additional 8-10 weeks for the results to come back.

 

[Kimster]

More on the skull. It was found a YEAR and a HALF ago. And it's been sitting on a shelf. The FAMILIES are paying to have it tested.

Families of missing persons get DNA test of skull fragments after 20-month delay

A group of families are celebrating progress in getting human skull fragments DNA tested after 20 months of waiting in a lab. They also point out eastern Lane County's "trouble

www.kezi.com

Families of missing persons get DNA test of skull fragments after 20-month delay​

A group of families are celebrating progress made in getting human skull fragments found in an extremely rural area of Lane County DNA tested after 20 months of waiting.

Parrish Bryson is the father of Michael Bryson, a 27-year old man who went missing back in August of 2020 after attending a rave roughly 20 miles east of Cottage Grove.

Although Bryson does not believe the skull fragments -- discovered in the Blue River area -- belong to his son. He said he and several other families with missing loved ones worked together to get the fragments tested for DNA.

"There were human remains found in September of '23. It was a skull. It was entered into Oregon State Labs October 1 of '23. And it has been sitting on a shelf ever since. Those remains could potentially belong to any one of a minimum of three cases that I'm aware of in that area," Bryson said. "As far as a win is concerned, it could still have been sitting on that shelf had we not been vocal. When I say we, it's just not Michael Bryson Foundation, but also Dylan Legacy and the families of the missing loved ones that are up in that area."


"We were basically told that if we wanted to expedite the testing of this skull, that we would have to come up with $3,500, the families. The foundations don't think that should rest on the families. They're already going through enough. So Dylan's Legacy was able to fundraise and cover that cost," Bryson said. "Because of the amount of exposure that has come from this and the emails that were submitted, the state of Oregon finally said, 'We will pay for it, and we are sending it off this week to Bode Technology in Virginia.'" Bryson said it will now take an additional 8-10 weeks for the results to come back.

Wait a minute. Somebody told me that they are going to be testing it.

 

[Guess Who]

Wait a minute. Somebody told me that they are going to be testing it.

Sounds like they are but there was no funding for it and the families had to cover the cost. They fundraised and now are in the process is how I read it.