December 1998, three weeks before Christmas. Robert Inge Bretson, his dad Bob, and his eight-year-old son Derek, headed out to the Winemar National Forest to look for the perfect Christmas tree.

But this family tradition soon turned to tragedy when Derek disappeared without a trace.

Despite a confession from a child sex offender, an onomous graffiti found at a rest-stop bathroom,

Derek's fate on that chilly December afternoon remains a mystery to this day.

This is Derek's story.

Derek James Inge Bretson was born July 5th, 1990, to parents Laurie and Robert Ingebrigtson in

Bonanza, Oregon.

Derek was very much like the other boy we discussed this week, Michael Vaughn.

Maybe they could have been friends in another world at another time.

But Derek was an active, fun, busy boy.

He was his happiest when out in nature.

So much so, the only time you would find Derek inside was once it got dark,

and that was only because Derek was scared of the dark. He was only scared of two things,

the dark and cougars. But Derek loved animals. He would spend his nights watching animal documentaries.

And even though he was scared of the dark, he had recently discovered the

Goosebump's book series, and he was devouring them.

In December 1998, when our story takes place, Derek was in the third grade at Bonanza

Elementary. The family would live close to National Forests, and that is where you would find the Inge Bretons on the weekends and on vacation.

Derek had been hunting and hiking from birth.

He got his nickname Bearboy due to his mother putting him in a pack at only a week old and carrying him along on a bear hunt.

Quote, ever since he was a baby, he's been out in the woods,

hunting and stuff, unquote. Lorry and Robert came from a family of hunters too.

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