Missing Oklahoma Senate candidate Barry Christian, 54, was found dead inside a truck in a rural part of the state on Thursday, according to authorities.
Christian, a drilling consultant from Sayre who was running for state Senate District 38 as one of three Republican candidates, had been reported missing on Wednesday after he failed to attend a scheduled meeting. He had last been seen in Sayre on Tuesday.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which the Sayre Police Department asked to investigate the case, said Christian’s vehicle was discovered around 9:45 a.m. local time on Thursday morning by Beckham County deputies in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, just south of Erick, Oklahoma.
A body was found inside the vehicle and identified as Christian. No details on the cause of his death have been disclosed. Christian’s body was brought to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine his cause and manner death, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said.
An investigation into his disappearance and death is ongoing.
Brooklyn Christian, his daughter, asked Oklahomans to pray for the family. “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 in a statement reported by the Oklahoma-based outlet NonDoc.
“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,” she continued.
Who Is Barry Christian?
Christian was born in Sayre, a small, rural Oklahoma community and the county seat of Beckham County.
He was not a career politician. According to his Facebook profile, Christian attended Weatherford High School and was a drilling consultant before running for the state’s Senate District 38.
In a campaign video posted on social media, he described himself as “somebody who lives in a small town, works there, and raises a family.” This, he said, meant he knew “the strengths of our communities” as well as the challenges.
“I’m running because I believe our communities deserve a voice that listens, works hard and puts people ahead of politics,” he said in a voice-over for the video.
“The challenges we face in Oklahoma aren’t Republican or Democrat. They’re challenges of education, workforce, public safety, agriculture and the ability for families to build a future here at home,” he added.
In his pledge to voters, he promised to support “parents and teachers,” adding that he believed in “backing our first responders, growing rural opportunity, and making sure that government does its job well.”
On his campaign website, Christian was more vocal about his conservative values, promising to “fight leftist government overreach, oppose reckless open borders policies, strongly support our law enforcement and defend unborn babies,” among other policies.
In an April 2 Facebook post, he said he was running with “no big corporate money,” but was raising funds from local voters supporting his candidacy.
Social Media Tributes
Farrah Christian, a former partner who shared children with Christian, wrote a tribute on social media, calling him “the best ride of my life.”
“We had lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, and even though we didn’t end up together, we always stayed close, and we have the most beautiful children and grandchildren who you loved so deeply,” she wrote on Facebook.
“You taught me how to cook, you taught me how to love. I just don’t know how we are supposed to live without you. My heart aches more than I can bear right now,” she continued.
Heather Boss, a Republican candidate for Oklahoma’s Senate District 24, wrote on Facebook following news of Christian’s death: “Barry Christian was more than a name on a ballot. He was a man with a story, a purpose, and a desire to serve his community. His disappearance shook so many. Friends, family, and supporters were left searching, hoping, praying for answers. And now, they’re faced with heartbreaking news.
“A life has been lost. A family is grieving. A community is mourning. And a campaign has come to an unexpected end. In moments like this, the noise of politics fades away… and what remains is what truly matters; human life, compassion, and the people left behind.”
Joe Buchanan, who was running against Christian as a Republican candidate for the state’s Senate District 38, wrote on Facebook that he was “devastated to hear about Barry Christian’s passing. We are keeping his family and friends in our prayers, and hope our community can come together after this horrible tragedy.”
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