{"id":427417,"date":"2026-08-08T15:20:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/427417\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:20:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:20:22","slug":"california-mans-alleged-killer-caught-after-posing-as-missing-victim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/427417\/","title":{"rendered":"California man’s alleged killer caught after posing as missing victim"},"content":{"rendered":"

A California man allegedly murdered his roommate, buried him in a shallow backyard grave<\/a> and then stole his truck \u2014 before cops caught up with him more than 1,100 miles away while he was impersonating the dead man.<\/p>\n

Oregon cops got a bizarre surprise last week when they encountered an unassuming camper in the Mt. Hood National Forest<\/a> who claimed to be 61-year-old Daniel Joslin, the registered owner of a nearby black Ford F-150.<\/p>\n

The Clackamas County Sheriff\u2019s Office released footage of a suspect. CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF<\/p>\n

Alleged killer and roommate, 60-year-old Cris Jones. Facebook<\/p>\n

The truck\u2019s registration and license plate checked out \u2014 but there was one major problem: Joslin had been reported missing.<\/p>\n

Cops soon learned the man they were talking to wasn\u2019t Joslin at all. He was allegedly his killer and roommate, 60-year-old Cris Jones.<\/p>\n

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The San Bernardino County Sheriff\u2019s Office<\/a> told Oregon authorities they had been searching for Jones after Joslin, his roommate, had mysteriously vanished and hadn\u2019t been heard from in 10 days.<\/p>\n

Then came the grisly discovery.<\/p>\n

Daniel Howard Joslin, 61, is pictured in a photo provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriff\u2019s Department. Morongo Basin<\/p>\n

The Clackamas County Sheriff\u2019s Office released footage of a suspect. CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF<\/p>\n

The Clackamas County Sheriff\u2019s Office released footage of a suspect. CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF<\/p>\n

One day before Oregon cops encountered Jones \u2014 and more than a month after Joslin was reported missing \u2014 California investigators executing a search warrant at the roommates\u2019 home in Yucca Valley found Joslin\u2019s body buried in \u201ca shallow grave,\u201d authorities said.<\/p>\n

Jones had apparently fled the California home and made his way north, ending up more than 1,100 miles away in Oregon\u2019s Mt. Hood National Forest.<\/p>\n

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Oregon authorities finally swooped in Aug. 2, deploying a SWAT team and air unit to arrest Jones near Harriet Lake, where cops had first encountered him.<\/p>\n

Aerial footage captured the dramatic arrest, with officers surrounding Jones at gunpoint.<\/p>\n

The Clackamas County Sheriff\u2019s Office released footage of a suspect. CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF<\/p>\n

Cops also allegedly found a knife and sheath tucked into Jones\u2019 front pants pocket. He also had outstanding warrants in Clackamas and Washington counties, officials said.<\/p>\n

Jones was being held Friday in the Clackamas County Jail on the murder case and is awaiting extradition to California.<\/p>\n

According to Jones\u2019 Facebook profile, he attended Portland State University.<\/p>\n

The investigation remains ongoing.<\/p>\n

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