On August 12, 2024, at about 12:08 PM, Idaho County Sheriff’s Office was notified that Zachary Demoss, age 24, from the Missoula, Montana area was a missing person. The caller stated he was Zachary’s employer and had seen a Facebook post stating Zachary was missing somewhere between Kooskia, Idaho and his residence in Montana. It was stated that Zachary was riding his black 2000 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle during the time of his disappearance and his last known location was about milepost 135 on Highway 12. Zachary’s motorcycle was seen parked at that location at about 4:30 PM on August 11, 2024, by two individuals riding on another motorcycle who were traveling with Zachary. The two individuals rode past Zachary and parked farther east on Highway 12 and after Zachary did not show up, they went back to look for him and he was not there.
Idaho County Sheriff’s Dispatchers began gathering information on Zachary’s motorcycle as well as Zachary’s physical description, which was relayed to an Idaho County Deputy who went to milepost 135 on Highway 12 and began a search of the area. For the rest of that day, Idaho County Deputies and the Idaho County Sheriff’s Posse, along with Zachary’s family and friends, searched the area for Zachary.
On August 13th and August 14th, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Idaho State Police, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Posse, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office drone team, Idaho Fish and Game Officers, Missoula Life Flight, family, friends, and coworkers of Zachary searched the Highway 12 river corridor from milepost 75 through milepost 174 at Lolo Pass or the Idaho/Montana state line. The majority of the 99- mile search was done by breaking up into multiple teams and searching on foot on both sides of Highway 12, as well as the drone being used overhead to view the areas with harder to view access, and as Life Flight was flying the river corridor.
Idaho County Sheriff’s Office Dispatchers worked with Zachary’s cell phone company to ping his cellphone and were told it was not hitting a cell tower. All the ITD weather cameras through the upper end of Highway 12 take photos every 15 minutes and after this information was accessed, it was determined there was no usable information obtained. There was also no evidence located indicating a crash had occurred.
Over the coming days, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office will be downsizing their search but will continue to have deputies monitor specific areas. Even though no debris has surfaced on the Lochsa and Clearwater River, some of the deeper holes along the river will have diving activity.
The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office would like to sincerely thank the Idaho State Police, Idaho Fish and Game, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Posse, Missoula Life Flight, the Idaho Transportation Department, Finley’s Tree Service, and the friends, coworkers, and family of Zachary who have assisted with the search. We would also like to share our deepest sympathy for Zachary’s family for what they are currently experiencing.
