May 26, 2025 | By: Johvan Merilus

This story is part of a collaborative project between Project: Cold Case and the University of North Florida’s Applied Journalism class.

David Lewis’ nickname was Fish Hook – and he was proud of it. “No matter where he was, he could always reel in a fish,” says his sister, Linda Lewis-Miller.

Known as the guy who would help anyone and who could do anything, –Lewis is sorely missed by his Oregon community. He died September 4, 2008, in his Oregon cabin. The cabin had been set on fire, and police later determined that David had been killed before the arson. The case has never been solved.

David Lewis was a loving man with kindness, charisma, and a friendly nature that is deeply missed. The burned-out cabin where his body was found was five miles away from another cabin that had been set on fire, which drew firefighters to that location.

Police reports revealed that the body suffered injuries before the fire.

His sister, Linda Miller-Lewis, was the first family member who learned of his death. Prior to being informed of her brother’s passing, she felt a sense of unease, a random sense of danger. Linda found out about David’s death through a news source online, describing a cabin fire that had revealed the body of a dead man.

Linda’s husband, Greg Miller, was the first to reach out to the fire marshal out of concern that the unidentified body might be his brother-in-law. For the body to be identified, DNA samples had to be drawn from both Linda and David’s eldest son, Beau.

David’s extended family has often traveled to Alaska and Oregon in hopes that the case would see even the slightest progress. No arrest has been made, and the case, at times, feels unsolvable as it keeps coming to dead ends.

David’s death impacted not just his sister Linda, but the rest of his siblings and large extended family. He left behind his three sons, Beau, Casey, and Skylar.

His remaining family members have found comfort in marking each anniversary of David’s death. Determined to preserve David’s memory, his family found a spot in the cemetery, near the ball field, and crafted a homemade headstone in his honor. Each year on the anniversary of his death, his family visits.

His cabin was near Lake Hyatt, Oregon, and he built his own boat to use for fishing. It’s how Linda and others like to remember him- free spirited and kind, taking in the scenery, looking for fish. He’s missed, she said, but always remembered.

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If you have any information about the unsolved homicide of David Lewis, please contact the Jackson County Cold Case Team at (541) 774-6800. To remain anonymous, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333. There have been several rewards offered over the years. Contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to find out the current reward amount.

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