A missing Republican Senate candidate has been discovered dead inside a truck in a rural part of Oklahoma, according to authorities and various media outlets.
Barry Christian, aged 54, who was running for the 38th District in western Oklahoma, was found deceased on Thursday. He had gone missing just two days prior. His campaign shared this information in a news release, which was reported by KOCO.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed to local media that Christian’s 2024 charcoal gray Ram truck was found off Highway 30, south of Eric, with a body inside.
This truck was located near a ravine next to the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area. The positioning of the vehicle has complicated efforts to remove the body, leading to delays in identification, as reported by a newspaper.
During the search, an unsettling photo surfaced showing a large Christian campaign sign discarded onto a grassy area.
The details around his death remain unclear, and the OSBI has not promptly responded to inquiries. Christian was reported missing on Tuesday after failing to attend a scheduled meeting. The Hermon County Sheriff’s Office noted he was last seen driving his Ram truck.
In his last Facebook update on Saturday, he invited locals to join him at the Mangum Oklahoma Rattlesnake Festival to discuss important community issues.
His campaign website describes him as the “conservative’s choice” for the 38th Congressional District, pledging to support President Trump and advocate for traditional conservative values if he were elected.
In a heartfelt statement to KOCO, Brooklyn, Christian’s daughter, expressed that the family is feeling completely lost after this shocking revelation.
“Please pray for our family and friends. Our world is turned upside down right now. We still don’t know everything that happened. So please act with grace and treat my father’s legacy with dignity,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in the search efforts and to the media for raising awareness about his disappearance, noting that many are in disbelief over his passing.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Christian’s death.
