HAPPY CAMP, Cal. (Aug. 11, 2026) — A California woman who was reported missing after she was last seen driving toward Southern Oregon was found dead Monday, authorities said.
Joyce Hammon was last seen Aug. 6, when she planned to drive to Gold Hill, to purchase peaches and take them to her mother’s residence, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
Hammon was driving a silver 2017 Ford Edge. Investigators believed she may have traveled from California toward Gold Hill using Greyback Road to Highway 199 before connecting with Interstate 5.
Authorities said Hammon was also seen driving her vehicle in the Happy Camp area at about 2:19 p.m. Aug. 6.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office initially asked the public to provide any information that could help determine Hammon’s whereabouts. The department announced Monday, Aug. 10, that Hammon had been located deceased.
Authorities did not immediately release additional information about the circumstances of her death.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Deputy Garrison with the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and reference case No. 26-2118.
UPDATE: A missing-person search for 58-year-old Joyce Hammon of Seiad Valley ended tragically Monday when she was found deceased in a single-vehicle crash east of Happy Camp, California.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said Hammon was reported missing Friday, Aug. 7, at approximately 7 p.m. A family member told deputies that Hammon had left her residence at about 1 p.m. Thursday intending to travel to Gold Hill, Oregon, to visit her mother. She was driving a silver 2017 Ford Edge SUV.
When Hammon did not arrive in Gold Hill and could not be reached by cellphone, her family contacted authorities.
Deputies began searching possible routes between Seiad Valley and the Gold Hill area, while family and friends conducted their own search efforts. Because of the large search area, the Sheriff’s Office also notified law enforcement agencies in surrounding counties and requested assistance.
SCSO dispatch made numerous attempts to ping Hammon’s cellphone during the investigation but was unsuccessful in locating the device.
The search ended Monday, Aug. 10, when Hammon was located deceased in a single-vehicle accident east of Happy Camp.
The Sheriff’s Office expressed its condolences to Hammon’s family and loved ones following the discovery.
No additional details about the crash were immediately released.
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