The Department of Natural Resources temporarily closed parts of Teanaway Community Forest on Wednesday as law enforcement continue a manhunt for a suspect in a missing hunter case.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Jorge Alcantara-Gonzalez, 34, who is believed to have information about what happened to Ian Eckles, a Kent hunter who was reported missing May 18.
Officials closed a portion of the forest to limit the amount of contact Alcantara-Gonzalez has with the public and reduce the public’s risk of being harmed by the fugitive, according to DNR. Alcantara-Gonzalez is believed to be armed and dangerous.
The North Fork Teanaway Road is closed from Dickey Creek Road to the 29 Pines Campground, which is also closed.
Other closed areas include: First Creek near the Lauderdale Junction, Jungle Creek, Stafford Creek, Jack Creek, Wetland Jack, Indian Creek, Middle Creek, Dickey Creek, Story Creek, Mason Creek, Mack Creek and Musser Creek.
Camping and recreational activity is prohibited in those areas until further notice.
The closure is in place until June 15 unless modified, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office.
Friends say Eckles, 41, was going to meet friends for a hunting trip in the woods near Cle Elum but hasn’t been heard from since.
On May 23, a volunteer searcher reported seeing someone else driving his car. That car was abandoned next to another vehicle, which is how investigators connected Alcantara-Gonzalez to the case.
Evidence found in Eckles’ SUV led police to believe Eckles was killed, and an arrest warrant was issued last week for Alcantara-Gonzalez.
Alcantara-Gonzalez came face-to-face with police on May 26, but he dropped a shotgun he was holding and escaped back into the woods, according to law enforcement.
Alcantara-Gonzalez is also wanted in connection with other burglaries, stolen vehicles and thefts, according to police.