Missing: Lee Johnson UPDATE

Thursday, March 9, 2023

The Warm Springs Police, the CTWS Branch of Natural Resources, and Warm Springs Fire & Safety have been searching for 67-year-old Lee Johnson who was reported missing last Sunday March 5th and was last seen on Saturday March 4th.

Additional assistance came in yesterday,  March 8th with Search and Rescue teams from Deschutes, Jefferson and Wasco Counties assisting the search in Upper Seekseequa on the Warm Springs Reservation where Johnson’s truck was located late Tuesday afternoon, March 7th.   Warm Springs Police expect a drone team from Portland to come in today along with additional assistance from Deschutes County.

The Police are seeking help from the community for anyone able to help with horseback searching, ATVs or ground searchers are being sought.  They will meet up this morning at the Seekseequa Fire Hall where volunteers can check in with the Incident command center.  The search begins at 8am today but volunteers can check in throughout the day.

Lee Johnson, 67, of Warm Springs was reported missing on Sunday March 5, 2023 at approximately 6pm.
The report says he was last seen leaving his home on Jackson Trail Rd the morning of March 4, 2023 at 10am to go wood cutting in the area toward Indian Park.  Johnson did not return home, nor meet up with his family at the Casino, as was planned later that evening.
Johnson was last seen wearing brown boots, tan pants, a light colored shirt and a black coat.  He was driving a 2013 White Toyota Tacoma 2 door pick up with a gray canopy.
Warm Springs Police report that a preliminary search, of the area Johnson was reported to be going to, was done the night of March 5, 2023 after receiving the missing report.
Family members tracked Johnson’s phone to an area south of Juniper Butte on Monroe Drive.    The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office went and checked the area and were unable to locate Johnson, his phone, or his vehicle.  Warm Springs Police Officers also checked that area south of Juniper Butte and also were unable to locate Johnson.
Warm Springs PD Dispatch was able to get a location for Lee Johnson’s phone which indicated it was in an area near Gray Butte.  On Monday, March 6, 2023, during daylight hours Warm Springs Detectives Dowty and Chase went and checked the area near Gray Butte but were unable to locate Johnson, his phone, or his vehicle.
Also on Monday, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Branch of Natural Resources Crews conducted searches on the Warm Springs Reservation in the areas Johnson was thought to be heading or might have headed.   He was not located.
Searches on the south end of the Warm Springs Reservation continue today, Tuesday, March 7, 2023.  Natural Resources and Warm Springs Police continue to be involved.
Warm Springs Detectives are following up with family members for any additional information.

Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Lee Johnson is asked to contact the Warm Springs Police Department at 541-553-1171.