At 0726, Nov 24th, 2022, Board Chairman Jensen Huffman receives a communication from Syni Brent (a friend to the Kirchem family) seeking K9 tracking and trailing assets to assist the family in locating Kyle Kirchem. Kyle had been reported missing since 11/20/22. His vehicle was found by local law enforcement in the Mag Creek ravine off of NFD-46 approximately 25 miles South of Estacada OR in Clackamas County. It was presumed that Kyle had walked away from the accident and was in immediate danger. Temperatures in the area were below 32 degrees. He had left his cell phone, his wallet and house keys at his home. He had his laptop.
Kyle’s vehicle was located on 11/22/22 unlocked, the passenger’s rear window broken and the front bumper damaged from the impact of the car sliding into the ravine. Charon Human Advocacy Intervention Services (CHAIS) deployed 3 handlers and certified trailing dogs at 0833, Jensen Huffman / K9 Jax, Taylor Ward / K9 Kash and David Price / K9 Blue. Handlers arrived on scene at 1010.
An inspection of Kyle’s vehicle by family members yielded two pairs of shoes, a bump hat used at his work at Bob’s Red Mill, a mushroom picking basket and a fleece insulated mask, a bag of whey protein powder and a number of asthma inhalers. Kyle’s laptop was also found in the car and taken by the family to prevent theft. The passenger rear window had been damaged by the accident and broken out, no airbags were deployed and no indication of major hemorrhaging.
CCSOSAR (Clackamas County Sheriff Office Search and Rescue) was deployed 11/24/2022 so that a detailed search of the area could be conducted. CHAIS handlers were deployed on 11/25/2022 after the scene had been secured and the Sheriff Office could confirm Kyle was no longer in the immediate vicinity.
On 11/25/2022, each of the three K9 teams established a southbound direction of travel from the car and tracked for approximately 5 KM, south on NFD-46.
0930 – David Price / K9 Blue starts approximately 30 m south of the vehicle, utilizing Kyle’s bump hat as a scent article. K9 immediately turns southbound on NFD-46. K9 Blue trails for approximately 3 km south while taking an excursion up a logging road to investigate interest the dog showed in that direction. Total distance was approximately 5 km. K9 Blue’s GPS trailing data is indicated by dark blue in the photo above.
0936 – Taylor Ward / K9 Kash starts approximately 30 m north of the vehicle, utilizing Kyle’s shoe as a scent article. K9 begins airscenting and takes Taylor directly to the car, investigates the driver’s seat and then returns to the road indicating heavily to the south of the vehicle on NFD-46. Taylor and K9 Kash trail for approximately 5 km south of the vehicle. K9 Kash’s GPS trailing data is indicated by light blue in the photo above.
0954 – Jensen Huffman / K9 Jax start at the vehicle. K9 Jax is allowed to explore the interior of the vehicle prior to casting around the entire vehicle. K9 Jax locks into a footprint trail leading diagonally up the slope to the road in a southern direction. K9 Jax trails southbound on NFD-46 for approximately 5 km. K9 Jax’s GPS trailing data is indicated by pink in the photo above. K9 Jax showed no interest in any other direction than the original direction. K9 Jax was cut off lead in two campgrounds to allow for air scenting in these areas. A brief phone call with Deputy Pederson indicated that the track Jax took from the vehicle matched the original footprints photographed by the officer who discovered the vehicle.
A family member Kyle connected with an elderly couple who saw a man walking away from the accident towards Detroit Lake (southbound on NFD-46) on Sunday 11/20/22 at 1830, further substantiating the K9’s choice in direction of travel.
GPS tracking data is located below.
If you have any information that could lead to the whereabouts of Kyle Kirchem, please contact:
Gladstone PD: Case #22-026372
503.557.2797
Or Kyle’s family: 971.340.3324
[END REPORT]
Charon K9 Solutions is a for-profit professional military and private contract group, specializing in narcotics, contraband, explosive, and firearms detection, private protection, and high-risk/tactical tracking and apprehension.
CHAIS (Charon Human Advocacy Intervention Services) is the non-profit division of Charon K9 Solutions. We deploy tracking dogs to aid search and rescue and counter human trafficking efforts on an entirely volunteer / probono bases. No family, victim or agency will ever be billed for the efforts our professional handlers and team members put forth to help our community.
Questions and comments can be directed to:
Jensen Huffman
CHAIS Board Chairman
Co-Owner Charon K9 Solutions
503.308.8296
Jensen@charonk9.com
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