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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 09/21/2020 - Jorge Alcantara was sentenced for numerous crimes on Friday, but has yet to be tried for the murder of Ian Eckles.
On Friday, September 18, Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez pled guilty to eight felonies including theft of a motor vehicle; possession of an additional stolen motor vehicle; identity theft; theft of two firearms; residential burglary; and first- and second-degree burglaries. Alcantara was sentenced to 96 months in prison for these offenses. Alcantara is suspected in the murder of Ian Eckles on or around May 17 in the Mineral Springs area near SR97. He emerged as a suspect when deputies found Alcantara in possession of Eckles’ Toyota FJ on May 23, several days into a missing-persons search for the turkey-hunter from Kent. Alcantara’s flight from deputies sparked a 23-day manhunt leading to his capture in the Teanaway area on June 14. The murder of Ian Eckles is not among the crimes in the plea agreement signed on Friday, though Alcantara did admit to the theft of Eckles’ Toyota FJ and the shotgun Eckles brought to the Liberty area to hunt turkeys. Prosecutors accepted pleas on these other crimes while delaying the homicide prosecution to ensure that Alcantara remains imprisoned and the community is protected while the case for Eckles’ murder is prepared. Postponing the trial for Eckles’ murder will provide time for extensive laboratory processing of evidence in this case—evidence that includes blood and tissue, DNA, fingerprints, and ballistics. The Sheriff’s Office also continues to pursue information and intelligence that could lead to the discovery of Eckles’ remains, which could provide further evidence about his murder and provide much-deserved closure for his family. Anyone hunting or recreating in the areas around Mineral Springs, the Teanaway, Blewett Pass, or Liberty is asked to be on the lookout for evidence that could reveal the location of Ian Eckles’ remains. If you find remains that could be human or any disturbance that might be connected with the disposal of his body, please call our dispatch center, Kittcom, at 509-925-8534, and deputy will contact you and determine how to proceed.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Inspector Chris Whitsett509-962-7525christopher.whitsett@co.kittitas.wa.us
