Following the mysterious disappearance of a 61-year-old female hiker near Mount Hood, her body was later discovered, leading to the arrest and murder charges against her husband. She had recently filed for divorce from him.

Susan Lane-Fournier of Brightwood, Oregon went missing on November 22, 2024, when she didn’t show up for work. The following day, her white Ford F-250 truck was found near East Salmon River Road, close to Green Canyon Way Trail south of Welches, Oregon.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office immediately began an extensive search operation that involved more than 20 volunteers and Search and Rescue teams. Despite temperatures falling into the 30s, the search persisted for several days, adding up to over 800 hours of search time.

On November 29, Lane-Fournier’s body was discovered near East Highway 26 and East Miller Road in Welches. An autopsy performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that her death was a homicide.

Michel Fournier, 71, the victim’s husband for 12 years, was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He is presently detained without bail at Clackamas County Jail.

According to court records, Lane-Fournier had begun divorce proceedings against Fournier on October 31, citing irreconcilable differences. However, the divorce papers were never successfully served.

At the time of her disappearance, Lane-Fournier, who was affectionately known as “Phoenix” by her friends, was hiking with her two Malinois-mix dogs, Elrond and Elros. The bodies of both dogs were later found by authorities in the Mount Hood National Forest.

Lane-Fournier’s friend, Cari Gesch, stated that the victim had expressed concerns about serving the divorce papers, fearing that Fournier might harm her or her dogs.

Investigators are appealing for any information about Michel Fournier’s activities or whereabouts in the days leading up to and following the disappearance of Lane-Fournier. As permitted by a 2022 Oregon law exception, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office has released Fournier’s booking photo to aid in identifying any additional criminal behavior.