Barry Christian, a 54-year-old Republican candidate for District 38 in western Oklahoma, was found dead Thursday after he mysteriously vanished just two days prior, according to a statement from his campaign.
JUST IN: Oklahoma State Senate candidate Barry Christian found dead after being reported missing.
The 54-year-old Republican launched his bid for the Oklahoma Senate last year and received an endorsement from his friend Kid Rock.
Christian was first reported missing when he did… pic.twitter.com/3islY2nROW
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 30, 2026
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) confirmed to the outlet that Christian’s 2024 charcoal gray Ram truck was found just off Highway 30, south of Erick, OK, with a body inside.
The truck was located by a ravine near the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area. Because of where the vehicle is located, officials are unable to remove his body, delaying identification, according to local affiliate KOCO.
Christian was reported missing on Tuesday after he failed to show up to a scheduled meeting.
He was last seen driving his Ram truck, according to the Harmon County Sheriff’s Office.
He last posted on Facebook on Saturday, asking his district’s residents to attend a meet-and-greet at the Mangum Oklahoma Rattlesnake Festival to discuss “issues that matter most to our community.”
In a statement to KOCO, Christian’s daughter, Brooklyn, said her family’s world is “upside down” after the devastating discovery.
“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,” Brooklyn 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 spent 35 years as a drilling consultant to the local oil and gas sector.
His campaign site described him as the “conservative choice” for the western district and carried a pledge from Christian to “proudly stand with President Trump” and “fight for the traditional conservative values that make America great” if elected.
He had secured an endorsement from MAGA favorite Kid Rock, who appeared in an Instagram video last month promoting his candidacy ahead of a June 16 election, in which Christian was one of three running to replace incumbent Brent Howard.
The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear.
However, reports say that a large campaign sign for Christian was mysteriously photographed and tossed onto the prairie land as authorities scoured the area.
“At this time, the circumstances surrounding Mr Christian’s death remain under investigation,” campaign spokeswoman Vivienne Hasenbeck said in a statement.
“Authorities have not yet released additional details pending notification of all family members and further examination.”