I was one of many who headed to the Gorge for Dead and Co. I arrived there Thursday night, 6/6 and stayed until Sunday morning, 6/9.
I drove from Portland to George for the concert. On Thursday, every stop I made was a carnival atmosphere of Dead heads. Rest areas, grocery stores off the beaten path..
Even HWY 97 between Biggs and Toppenish had road side pull offs, state parks, the Greek pastry place near Goldendale, parking lots filled with heads...
Just before you enter Toppenish, you drop out of the high desert and cross the Toppenish national wildlife preserve.
I theorize Jon and Josiah stopped here for a bathroom break, and were set upon by the men who would kill 5 people 3 days later in White Swan. I think it is the only explanation for how these two men were overpowered... there were more of them, and they had guns...
From the Toppenish Preserve, which would have been a remote and hidden place to carjack these guys, they could have easier been forced West on a number of roads, Marion drain looks likely, up to hwy 220,then lateral B road where the car was found.
Marion drain runs along Toppenish Creek, and past several ponds or agricultural ponds. Lateral B road also passes several ponds.
I hope LE and FBI are searching the wildlife preserve and any routes waterbodies west of it, on the way to where the car was found. I Brielle these two are the 6 and 7 victims of the men who killed 5 in White Swan just 3 days later.
So very sad for this to happen to folks out to enjoy a concert. Heartbreaking they never made it