OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
8:42 AM – Friday, May 1, 2026
Barry Christian, a Republican candidate running for Oklahoma’s Senate District 38, was found dead in a western Oklahoma wildlife refuge.
The 54-year-old state Senate candidate’s body was found on Thursday after he was reported missing on Tuesday. Western Oklahoma authorities had been searching for him since he missed a scheduled meeting.
On Thursday, Christian’s 2024 charcoal gray Ram truck was located near the Texas border at the entrance to the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, near Highway 30.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) officials said they were contacted by the Sayre Police Department about Christian’s disappearance.
The Beckham County Sheriff’s Office told KOCO 5 that a deputy was patrolling the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Refuge Thursday morning when they contacted a hunter who had seen a vehicle crashed off a high ridge overlooking Fish Creek.
“We were able to find a vehicle about two-and-a-half miles into this reserve here that is in a ravine sort of area right now. So the vehicle that we found matches the vehicle description of Mr. Christian. Right now, we can confirm that there is a body inside of that vehicle,” OSBI Public Information Manager Hunter McKee told reporters at the scene, adding at the time that they did not yet have access to the body to confirm its identity, due to where the car was parked.
“How the vehicle got here, why the vehicle’s here, we’re still looking into all of that right now,” he added, asking for people to continue to reach out to the bureau’s tip line.
In a statement to KOCO, Christian’s daughter, Brooklyn, said that the family is unsure what led to his disappearance and mysterious death.
“Please pray for our family and friends. Our world is upside down right now. We are still not sure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad’s legacy with dignity,” she said. “We are extremely grateful to everyone who assisted in the search efforts, and all of the media outlets that shared his information. I know there will be lots of people devastated by his passing.”
Christian’s campaign website hailed him as “the conservative choice” for the state Senate, who would “proudly stand with President [Donald] Trump and fight for the traditional conservative values that will make America great.” He promised to “oppose reckless open borders policies,” “defend unborn babies” and “ensure election integrity.”
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