Barry Christian, Republican candidate for Oklahoma state Senate, found dead
The 54-year-old man's body was found inside his own pickup truck in a nature preserve, two days after his family reported him missing. The cause of death has not yet been established.
A reference image
Barry Christian, who was running to represent the 38th District in the Oklahoma state Senate for the Republican Party and went missing, was found dead Thursday night.
He was reported missing by those close to him after he missed a scheduled appointment on Tuesday. The last time he was seen alive was that same day, in Sayre, a small town in the western part of the state where he resided. Concern grew quickly, with the Harmon and Beckham County sheriff's offices asking for public cooperation Wednesday night and releasing a photograph of the candidate and the charcoal-gray Ram pickup truck he was driving.
The announcement came on Thursday morning. Around 9:45 a.m., agents located the vehicle inside the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, south of Erick. Christian was inside, already lifeless. Hours later, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) confirmed the identity of the body and arranged for its transport to the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where both the cause and manner of death will be determined.
At this time, authorities have not released any information regarding the circumstances. The investigation involves multiple agencies and remains open. Anyone with information that may be helpful may contact OSBI at 800-522-8017, email tips@osbi.ok.gov, or contact the Sayre Police Department directly at 580-928-2122.
Christian was 54 years old and, according to his professional profile, had built his career in oil drilling, a central industry in western Oklahoma. His candidacy was a recent one: the 38th District encompasses a handful of rural communities, Altus, Mangum, Hobart, Elk City, Hollis and Sayre, among others, and in his public campaign messages, he had laid out priorities linked to education, safety, agriculture and family rootedness.
"The challenges we face in Oklahoma aren't Republican or Democrat," he wrote.
His daughter, Brooklyn, broke the news on behalf of the family. "Our world is upside down right now," she said in a statement. "We are still not sure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad's legacy with dignity."
She also thanked those who assisted in the search and the media who disseminated information during the hours when he was still being sought alive.
LATEST
