Inset, left to right: Cris L. Jones and Daniel Joslin (SBSO). Background: Aerial view of where authorities say they found Jones in Oregon (CCSO).
A 60-year-old man in California is accused of killing his roommate, allegedly burying the victim in a shallow grave behind their home and then pretending to be the dead man while driving his pickup truck in Oregon.
Cris Leroy Jones was taken into custody this week and charged with one count of murder in the slaying of 61-year-old Daniel Joslin, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, Jones was identified as the main suspect in the killing of 61-year-old Joslin after investigators recovered human remains from the yard of the Yucca Valley residence the men shared on July 29.
The investigation began July 3, when Morongo Basin deputies responded to a missing persons report after Joslin's family and friends said they had not seen or been able to contact him for about 10 days. Joslin's last known contact with loved ones was June 26.
Investigators initially received information that Joslin may have traveled to Oregon, but found no evidence confirming he had left California. The search for Joslin changed course on July 29, when detectives obtained a warrant for the residence he shared with Jones in the 58000 block of Carlyle Drive in Yucca Valley.
During the search, authorities "located human remains in a shallow grave in the backyard of the residence," which were positively identified as Joslin. The discovery prompted a search for Jones, who was soon located in Oregon.
According to a Facebook post from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, a deputy patrolling a campsite near Harriet Lake in Mt. Hood National Forest on July 30 made contact with a man who identified himself as Daniel Joslin. The man said he was the registered owner of a nearby black Ford F-150 pickup truck.
The deputy checked the vehicle's registration and license plate, which matched the name provided by the camper. However, a records check revealed that Joslin had recently been reported missing in California. Deputies then learned authorities were investigating Joslin's homicide and that the person at the campsite might actually be Jones, the suspect in the killing.
Working together, authorities in California and Oregon "identified the individual contacted at the campsite on July 30 as Cris Jones," saying he "had been using Daniel Joslin's identity and was driving Joslin's pickup truck."
On Aug. 2, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Air Unit located Jones in the forest and directed SWAT deputies to his location. Jones complied with commands and was taken into custody without incident, according to the sheriff's office.
A knife and sheath recovered from Jones' front pants pocket were seized as evidence, though authorities have not said whether the items are connected to Joslin's death.
Jones was booked into the Clackamas County Jail. He remained in custody as of Friday pending extradition to California to face charges in Joslin's killing.