It’s been five years to the day since Fauna Frey, a 45-year-old woman from Dexter, Oregon, vanished without a trace in the mountains of Josephine County. Her case remains unsolved; an open wound for her family, a haunting mystery for her community, and a chilling reminder of how quickly someone can disappear.

Fauna was grieving the recent death of her brother, Dallas, when she set off on what her family believes was both a healing trip and a mission to deliver gifts, silver coins inherited from Dallas, to a few friends. But somewhere between motel check-ins and checkouts, something went terribly wrong.

Her Jeep was found months later. She was never seen again.

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This is the timeline of Fauna's movements as we know them:

June 25, 2020:
Fauna leaves her father’s home in Dexter, Oregon, saying she plans to travel to the Grants Pass area.

June 27:
She is seen at a Bi-Mart in Cottage Grove, reportedly purchasing camping supplies.

June 28 (Morning):
She calls her father from a hotel landline in Grants Pass. She’s upset, talking about needing a break and mentions wanting to go to a park to clear her head. She also mentions having picked up a female hitchhiker near Wilderville, which was uncharacteristic for her.

June 28 (Later that day):
Fauna is seen at a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Grants Pass. Surveillance shows her shopping and appearing calm.

June 28 (Evening):
She makes a reservation at the Weasku Inn in Grants Pass but never checks in.

June 29:
Fauna is officially reported missing by her father after not hearing back from her.

September 23:
Her 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee is discovered on a remote logging road off Reuben Mountain Road, a few miles past Grave Creek Boat Landing. The vehicle is locked and intact. Personal items are inside, including clothes, toiletries, a VHS tape of The Lion King, and a box of hair dye. Notably, her cell phone and silver coins are missing.

There was no sign of a struggle at the Jeep. Her father, John Frey, was puzzled by the location; rugged, off-grid, and not a place Fauna would visit alone.

Local tipsters also noted a suspicious white BMW parked on a nearby rural property around the time of Fauna’s disappearance. The car disappeared shortly after investigators began looking into it.

In 2023, John Frey told Newsweek, "Well, we know that she was on Fish Hatchery Road because when she called me the night after she left. She talked to me about the hitchhiker, and giving her a ride. Right in that area is where the saddlebag with her name stamped on it was found. We had a sighting from reputable people who said that they saw Fauna in a white BMW coming out of a driveway on Fish Hatchery. They gave me the address and said that there were some dopers, and they were having a lot of problems with this address. I started checking the place out, so months went by, and this property changed hands twice, so it was sold to new people. The new people called us and said that the saddlebag was left there. They knew from flyers about Fauna, so they said, "this is weird." And it was."

Another strange detail: Fauna had picked up a hitchhiker on June 28, out of character for her, and a possible sign of emotional distress. She had been talking about “angels” and seemed to be in a spiritual or confused state of mind, according to her father. The woman was reportedly interviewed but ruled out by investigators.

Fauna Frey’s saddlebag was torn and repurposed like a purse, possibly used to carry the silver coins she had brought with her. The discovery of the saddlebag was a significant new clue in the case, as it helped narrow down a location tied to her final known intentions and raised questions about whether someone else had handled or discarded it.

To this day, the fingerprints collected from the Jeep have not been publicly disclosed as processed. Fauna’s family and community advocates have criticized what they see as a lackluster investigation and a slow forensic response, even for a rural county.

John Frey has devoted the last five years to finding his daughter. He’s funded private investigations, offered a $100,000 reward, walked remote trails where no law enforcement searched, and raised public awareness through podcasts, vigils, and media outreach. He describes his daughter as spiritual, intelligent, and sensitive, a woman undone by grief but never reckless.

In interviews, John has stressed that Fauna was not suicidal. She was planning a trip to Utah. She had friends waiting for her. She had thousands of dollars' worth of silver in her possession. She had a purpose.

“She didn’t just walk away,” John said in a 2023 interview. “Something happened out there.”

Fauna’s disappearance has been featured on multiple investigative podcasts, including Nowhere to be Found, Here One Minute, Gone the Next, and Detective Perspective, each trying to fill the silence left by law enforcement. New listeners continue to discover her story, hoping a fresh set of eyes or a single loose memory might be the key to finding Fauna.

Popular theories include:

• Voluntary disappearance: Widely rejected by her family and friends.
• Accidental death in the wilderness: Plausible, but no body, clothing, or coins have ever turned up.
• Foul play after picking up the hitchhiker: Still on the table.
• Encounter with someone at or near the remote property: The white BMW remains a chilling clue.

Fauna’s case is a reminder of how quickly grief, isolation, and rural law enforcement gaps can collide into tragedy. She is one of dozens of unsolved missing-person cases in Oregon, where tight budgets and tough terrain often mean cases grow cold before they even warm up.

But this one can still be solved.

There are new clues. New interest. And a father who refuses to stop asking questions.

Have Information on Fauna Frey? Please Speak Up!

If you know anything, no matter how small, please contact:

• Josephine County Sheriff’s Office
• Tip line: (541) 359-5638
• Email: [email protected]

Currrently there is a $50,000 CASH REWARD for information leading to the location of Fauna Frey. LARGE CASH REWARDS are being offered for any other relevant information, such as any objects that could be identified as Fauna’s, i.e. her wallet, keys, or Indian/Buffalo .999 silver bullion coins.