'Suspicious' death of 20-year-old Washington man found on forest road ruled homicide

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The death of a man whose body was found along a forest road in Washington under "suspicious circumstances" has been ruled a homicide, authorities announced Wednesday.

In a Wednesday Facebook post, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 20-year-old Jacob DeSha of Carson, Washington -- announcing that the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office determined his manner of death as a homicide. Details leading up to DeSha’s death were not immediately available.

On July 20, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office found DeSha's body near U.S. Forest Service Road 43 north of Carson while responding to a missing person report.

The investigation into DeSha’s death is ongoing, the sheriff's office said, noting the office believes this is an isolated incident with no threat to the public.

Officials ask anyone who has seen "suspicious" persons or vehicles between July 1 and July 20, 2025, near the southeast portion of the 43 Road, and the Hemlock/Stabler area north of Carson, to contact the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives are also urging residents in the Hemlock/Stabler community, and along Wind River Road, to check their home surveillance systems for suspicious people or vehicles during the July 1-20 time period.