The body of a missing American politician was discovered inside a truck in rural Oklahoma on Thursday, April 30. Barry Christian, a 54-year-old Republican candidate for Senate District 38 in western Oklahoma, was found deceased after vanishing two days earlier, according to a news release from his campaign obtained by KOCO.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed to the outlet that Christian's 2024 charcoal gray Ram truck was located just off Highway 30, south of Erick, with a body inside. The vehicle was found near a ravine in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area. Due to the truck's position, officials have been unable to remove the body, delaying formal identification.
A large campaign sign for Christian was photographed eerily discarded on the prairie land as authorities searched the area. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear. The OSBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Christian was reported missing on Tuesday after he failed to attend a scheduled meeting. He was last seen driving his Ram truck, according to the Harmon County Sheriff's Office. His last Facebook post on Saturday urged district residents to attend a meet-and-greet at the Mangum Oklahoma Rattlesnake Festival to discuss issues important to the community.
A campaign website described Christian as the "conservative choice" for District 38, pledging to stand with President Trump and fight for traditional conservative values. In a statement to KOCO, Christian's daughter, Brooklyn, expressed devastation: "Please pray for our family and friends. Our world is upside down. We are still unsure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad's legacy with dignity." She thanked everyone who assisted in the search and the media outlets that shared his information.
An investigation into Christian's death is ongoing.
