Jeffrey Hunter

On July 22nd, 2026, Neah Bay Public Safety contacted Clallam County Sheriff’s Office with information regarding an individual unaccounted for at the Cape Flattery trailhead located on Makah Tribal Land. Deputies investigated and learned 53-year-old Jeffrey R. Hunter from Columbus, Ohio had parked his vehicle on July 16th at the Cape Flattery parking area and had not returned. No one had seen or heard from Hunter since he obtained his Makah permit to be on tribal land. Deputies contacted Hunter’s family and learned Hunter had been on a road trip, and no one had heard from him in several days. On July 23rd, 2026, Deputies initiated a multi-agency response to attempt to locate Hunter. On July 24, 2026, the Clallam County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue operation for Hunter at Cape Flattery concluded. Over the course of the multi-day operation, search teams conducted an exhaustive search of the entire Cape Flattery trail system, including the beaches, coves, ravines, and surrounding terrain. Despite the extensive efforts of ground search teams, technical rescue personnel, K9 teams, marine resources, and aviation support, Jeffrey R. Hunter was not located. The search concluded with no sightings of Hunter and no new leads to continue investigative search efforts. The Clallam County Sheriff's Office asks anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of Jeffrey R. Hunter to contact Clallam County Dispatch.