June 4 marks the 15th anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of 7-year-old Kyron Horman from Skyline Elementary School, located in rural Northwest Portland.
This tragic event set off the largest missing person search in Oregon history. Despite extensive investigations involving local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, no trace of Kyron has ever been found, leaving his mother, Desiree Young, to publicly seek answers every year as the anniversary approaches.
“I never thought I would be here. I’ve always thought Kyron would be home by now, whatever happened,” Young shared with the Portland Tribune, emphasizing her dedication to finding her son as she prepares for another somber commemoration.
One of the most perplexing aspects of the case is the lack of arrests. Early on, Kyron’s stepmother, Terri Horman, became a key figure in the investigation as she was reportedly the last person to see Kyron alive on the day of his disappearance.
Now known as Terri Vasques after remarrying, Horman has consistently denied any involvement and declined to make a statement to the Portland Tribune when approached by them.
Desiree Young has not hesitated to voice her suspicions regarding Horman. Within two years of Kyron’s disappearance, she filed a lawsuit against Horman, seeking accountability. However, Young withdrew the case after being informed that continuing the lawsuit could jeopardize the flow of information from investigators to families.
“I didn’t want to do it, but I was told investigators would stop sharing information with families going forward if I continued, and I didn’t want to be responsible for that,” Young explained about her difficult choice.
Despite dropping the lawsuit, Young has remained vocal about her suspicions and has built a circumstantial case against Horman, which she has shared in numerous interviews and public appearances. Recently, she spoke about the case at the True Crime Fest Northwest in Portland over the Labor Day weekend in 2024.
Young’s theory centers around multiple suspicions regarding Terri Horman’s behavior and the timeline of events on the morning Kyron disappeared. Young points out that, contrary to Horman’s claims that she left Kyron at school, four eyewitnesses reported seeing her lead him back to her truck.
Additionally, Horman allegedly failed two lie detector tests shortly after Kyron’s disappearance and refused to take a third test, while other family members and associates successfully passed theirs.
After leaving the school on the day of Kyron’s disappearance, Horman provided an account that involved driving through the West Hills, claiming she was comforting her sick daughter. Coincidentally, a close friend of Horman’s, named Dede Spicer, was also reported missing for several hours that same day.
As the investigation continued, it was revealed that Spicer had used disposable burner phones to communicate with Terri Horman around the same time as Kyron’s disappearance, raising further suspicions. Investigators recovered these phones and found evidence relevant to the case.
Young points out that Horman had a troubling history, having been investigated for various murder-for-hire plots prior to Kyron’s disappearance. This included alleged attempts to kill two men, one of whom was Kyron’s father, Kaine Horman, before they separated after their son’s disappearance.
When asked to comment on the ongoing suspicions from Young, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office refrained from providing a definitive response. Pat Dooris, the office’s communications director, noted that internal discussions were ongoing regarding how to address the anniversary.
Young expressed frustration that, after 15 years, no credible suspects other than Horman have emerged. “Investigators cleared everyone who was at the school the day Kyron disappeared, all of the neighbors near the school, and all registered sex offenders in the area at the time. The reason the investigation focused on Horman is because of her own behavior,” she stated, reaffirming her commitment to finding answers.
“I won’t give up until Kyron is home,” she declared, as her resolve continues to drive her search for truth and justice.
Desiree Young has established herself as a well-known figure in the Portland area, actively advocating for her son over the years. Though she resides in Medford, she frequently travels to Portland, especially for anniversaries, where she often emotionally urges anyone with information to come forward.
Despite her emotional outbursts, Young’s demeanor in public reveals a woman of strength and determination. She has been involved in various fundraising events aimed at financing organized searches in the rugged hills, where her son was last seen.
Over time, Young has garnered expertise in missing persons cases, sharing her insights at law enforcement conferences and providing solace to other parents facing similar tragedies.
Collaborating with Seattle author Rebecca Morris, Young wrote a book titled “BOY MISSING: The Search for Kyron Horman,” published in 2020. The book delves into the reasons behind Young’s suspicions towards Horman and Spicer, presenting compelling insights into the case.
Young has cultivated a dedicated following that actively tracks the case, leads efforts to raise funds for searches, and maintains websites focused on Kyron’s story. A group known as Kyron Horman’s World Soldiers has even created a Facebook page and produced YouTube videos that discuss the case, further amplifying awareness and support.
Additionally, a former reporter, O’Neill Robben, who has covered various crime cases, has turned her attention to Kyron’s story. After publishing a book titled “CLOSE TO HOME: Sexual Abusers and Serial Killers, Memoir and Murder” in 2023, Robben began focusing on the difficulties of solving cases where bodies cannot be located.
She emphasized the contrast between the quick resolution of other missing children’s cases and Kyron’s, remarking on the lack of definitive answers that continue to plague Young and keep her fighting for justice.
Robben has also initiated public records requests to obtain information from agencies involved in the investigation, hoping to shed more light on the case. As Oregon law protects some records from disclosure in active criminal cases, she argues that this exemption shouldn’t apply to Kyron’s situation.
“Would it ever be possible to make a successful no-body murder case against someone based on all of the information about Kyron’s disappearance that the DA’s Office and the investigators on the case have available to them?” Robben questioned as she pursues transparency through Oregon’s Public Records Law.
As the community reflects on the 15-year mark since Kyron Horman’s disappearance, Desiree Young’s story serves as a beacon of hope in the face of tragedy, inspiring many to continue seeking answers and justice for her son.
image source from：https://bendbulletin.com/2025/04/25/kyron-hormans-disappearance-in-portland-remains-unsolved-on-15th-anniversary/
