Couple Vanished in Oregon Mountains – 10 Months Later Found in BAGS Filled With FEATHERS… The Shocking Truth Will Haunt You!
In October of 2012, a young couple from Eugene, Oregon—Agnes Ashdown and Lionel Blackmore—set out for a weekend hike in the breathtaking Three Sisters Wilderness. However, they never returned. Their car was discovered parked near the trailhead, but the couple was nowhere to be found. What ensued was one of the most extensive search operations in the area’s history, yet it ended in failure. Ten months later, the shocking discovery of their remains would reveal a horrifying tale that would leave a mark on the community and beyond.
Agnes Ashdown, a 23-year-old artist, and Lionel Blackmore, a 25-year-old geology graduate student, were deeply in love and excited about their weekend adventure. They were eager to explore the stunning landscapes of the Three Sisters Wilderness, a popular destination for hikers and photographers alike. The fall of 2012 in Oregon was mild, with wet mornings, clear skies, and the vibrant colors of autumn leaves. Friends described the trip as a vacation before winter, a time for Agnes to gather inspiration for her new series of landscape paintings and for Lionel to complete his dissertation on the volcanic formations of the Cascade Mountains.
On the morning of October 17, 2012, they were last seen at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Eugene. The owner later recalled that they were sitting by the window, with Lionel flipping through a map while Agnes scribbled in a notebook, laughter filling the air. They left a few dollars as a tip and continued on their way, stopping at a gas station in Sisters around 9:20 a.m. Surveillance footage captured their carefree demeanor, as Lionel carried a gas can and bottles of water while Agnes held a small bag of groceries.
After that brief stop, they headed toward Lake Linton, parking their white Honda at the Linton Lake trailhead. It was from there that Agnes made her last phone call to her mother, leaving a cheerful message that they had just arrived and planned to return Sunday evening. This would be the last confirmed contact with the couple.
Their hiking route was only partially recovered. A visitor log near the trail indicated that Lionel had signed in, but there was no record of their return. According to other hikers, neither Agnes nor Lionel was seen again after they entered the forest. One man reported seeing a young couple with an art easel and maps near the stream, but he didn’t think anything of it at the time.
As the weather changed dramatically, many campers abandoned their sites and returned to the valley. When Agnes failed to answer her phone on Sunday evening, her mother initially assumed they had lost service. However, by Monday morning, her anxiety grew. Agnes always communicated changes of plans, even if it was just a day’s delay. When it became clear that Lionel hadn’t shown up for work at the university, his supervisor confirmed he was supposed to return the previous day.
Linda Ashdown called the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, and by 11:00 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the Linton Lake trailhead. Upon arrival, he found the couple’s white car parked with a thin layer of damp leaves on the hood, bottles of water in the cabin, a folded map, and a gas station receipt on the floor. There were no signs of struggle or tampering; the doors were locked, and the keys were missing.
Near the trunk, the officer noticed the prints of two pairs of boots leading toward the trail and disappearing into the forest. That same day, the police began drafting the first report, stating, “The whereabouts of the persons are unknown. Possible disappearance during a hike.” The sheriff’s office prepared a message for the rescue team, but due to bad weather and dwindling daylight, they decided to start the official search at dawn.
As the sun rose the next day, officers from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, local volunteers, and experienced rescuers from the Oregon Rescue Association gathered in the parking lot near the Linton Lake Trail. The air was thick with the smell of wet bark and fuel from the generators working nearby. Teams were formed to check the route from the parking lot to the lake and surrounding trails, including Green Lakes and those leading to the slopes of Mount Washington.
The first to enter the woods were the sniffer dogs, trained to pick up the scent of the missing couple. Their instructor later noted that the scent taken from Agnes’s belongings was clear and fresh, raising hopes for a quick result. However, the dogs led the rescuers deeper into the forest for about two kilometers before losing the trail near a small river flowing into the lake.
The usual situation was that water washed away the scent, but one of the searchers noted that where the dogs started circling, there was an old branch on the bank, ragged and scratched. This could mean the couple had indeed crossed the water, but no further signs were found. No footprints on the opposite bank, no belongings.
The search operation continued for six days, with volunteers and law enforcement combing the area for any trace of the couple. The media quickly picked up the story, and local newspapers printed photos of Agnes and Lionel, urging the public to come forward with any information.
As the search progressed, the weather turned, and a cold front descended from the mountains, bringing rain and fog. Visibility decreased, and the helicopter support was grounded. The search teams were forced to suspend operations, transitioning to a passive search mode, waiting for new leads to emerge.
During this time, Agnes’s mother remained in Sisters, visiting the parking lot where her daughter’s car was last seen. She held onto hope, believing that her daughter and Lionel would return. Meanwhile, the investigation materials indicated that the area had been thoroughly searched, with no traces of a struggle or accident.
Ten months passed with no new leads. The case began to fade from the public eye, becoming just another unsolved mystery of the Oregon wilderness. Then, in August 2013, everything changed.
On a warm summer day, a hunter named Elijah Carter, an experienced outdoorsman from Bend, was walking the familiar trails near Mount Washington. He was not hunting in the traditional sense but rather observing the wildlife, enjoying the beauty of nature. With his dog Remy at his side, he strolled toward an abandoned quarry that had been a favorite spot in his youth.
As he approached the area, Remy suddenly became alert, stopping and digging near a small, leveled patch of ground. At first, Carter thought it might be a deer carcass. The ground gave way easily, as if it had been disturbed recently. When he pulled the dog away and poked the ground with a stick, he uncovered dark polyethylene bags tied tightly.
Curiosity piqued, Carter decided to check what was inside. As he cut the edge of one of the bags, air rushed out, and a cloud of small feathers erupted, swirling around him like a haunting specter. Among the feathers, something pale glittered—he saw a hand, a human hand.
Panic surged through him as he backed away, standing frozen in disbelief. He took a satellite phone from his backpack and dialed the sheriff’s office, his voice trembling as he reported, “Two people in bags. They’re filled with feathers.”
The police arrived at the scene, cordoning off the area for investigation. Forensic experts were called in, and the shocking news spread quickly. Local radio stations reported that two bodies had been found in the woods near Mount Washington, igniting a frenzy of speculation and fear throughout the community.
As investigators meticulously examined the site, they discovered that the bags were densely filled with small bird feathers, primarily from wild pheasants. The feathers created a hermetic environment, allowing the bodies inside to be better preserved than usual after such a long time.
When the bags were opened, the forensic team confirmed the presence of two bodies: one male and one female, laid side by side. The clothing matched the descriptions provided by the relatives of the missing couple—hiking pants, thermal jackets, and boots. A waterproof case was found in the woman’s backpack, containing a small notebook that, despite being damp, was still legible.
The identification process was swift. Dental records confirmed that the bodies belonged to Agnes Ashdown and Lionel Blackmore. Relatives were officially informed through a sheriff’s representative, and the community was left reeling from the confirmation of their worst fears.
The investigation quickly transitioned from a missing persons case to a double homicide investigation. Detective Mark Redell, a seasoned investigator, took the lead, delving into the details of the case with a determination to uncover the truth behind the couple’s tragic fate.
As the investigation unfolded, it became apparent that the circumstances surrounding their deaths were far more complex than anyone had anticipated. The forensic evidence indicated that the couple had met a violent end, with multiple stab wounds found on both bodies. The marks suggested a sudden emotional attack, with the direction and force of the stabs varying.
Redell and his team began to piece together the events leading up to the couple’s disappearance. Eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and the chilling details from the scene painted a picture of a crime that was not random but rather calculated.
The investigation revealed a web of connections to local residents, including a man named Arthur Pembroke, who had reported seeing the couple near the stream on the day they disappeared. Pembroke’s behavior during the initial investigation raised red flags, leading detectives to question him further.
As the pieces fell into place, it became clear that the forest, once a backdrop for a romantic getaway, had transformed into a stage for a horrific crime. The search for justice intensified, with every detail scrutinized and every lead followed.
In the end, the story of Agnes Ashdown and Lionel Blackmore became a haunting reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of even the most beautiful landscapes. Their tragic fate served as a catalyst for change, prompting law enforcement to reevaluate search and rescue protocols and raising awareness about the dangers that can arise in the wilderness.
Years later, the memories of that fateful weekend still linger in the hearts of those who knew them. The forest, once a place of adventure and beauty, now stands as a testament to the fragility of life and the importance of vigilance in protecting those we love.
As the investigation continued, the community rallied together, determined to honor the memory of Agnes and Lionel. Vigils were held, and their story became a symbol of resilience in the face of tragedy. The search for answers may have concluded, but the impact of their lives—and the mystery of their deaths—would forever remain etched in the annals of Oregon’s history.
In the end, the couple’s disappearance and the subsequent discovery of their bodies served as a stark reminder that sometimes, the most beautiful places can hide the darkest secrets. The mountains, once a sanctuary, became a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the shadows that can lurk in the most unexpected corners of our world.
