Human Remains Found in Board Shanty Fire Believed to Be Missing Grants Pass Woman

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JSCO) indicated that the human remains found by investigators may be the woman reported missing on July 17 when the Board Shanty Fire was reported, 42-year-old Sarah Caron.

During the evening of July 17, first responders called to the 2200 block of Board Shanty Creek Road for a four-alarm structure fire discovered that the fire had spread to nearby vegetation and vehicles, covering an area of 400 acres. The house where the fire started was the only residence destroyed in the fire.

On July 18, human remains were found in the burnt residence. Multiple state agencies, including the Oregon State Police and the State of Oregon Fire Marshal, led the recovery and investigation of the remains.

JSCO indicated that the human remains found in the home destroyed in the Board Shanty Fire are believed to be those of the female who lived at the original fire scene, Sarah Caron. The sheriff’s office is not aware of any other persons missing in connection with the fire.

Further testing is required to establish the cause of death and positively identify the remains, but Caron’s family has been notified.