The 1994 slaying of a Wheeler County cowboy has gone unsolved
Phil Brooks was cut down in his prime, the culprit has not been brought to justice.
Wheeler County's only cold-case murder is approaching another grim milestone, as the 30th anniversary of Phil Brook's murder approaches.
Killed on September 20, 1994 – the last day of summer – Phil Brooks was out riding his sister's horse on his day off when he was shot through the heart with a high-powered rifle. The assailant was never convicted, and while there are strong suspicions that a couple who had secured hunting rights on the Fopiano could be to blame, the crime has remained unsolved.
A hired-hand cowboy on the Fopiano Ranch near Mitchell, Brooks was just 24 years old when he was slain.
Author Rick Steber investigated the crime for more than 16 years and penned the novel "Caught in the Crosshairs," which was published in 2011.
In the years since, Phil Brook's mother has passed away, as has the former Wheeler County Sheriff Otho Caldera.
The case is considered to be open, but not active by the Oregon State Police, and the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office and Wheeler County District Attorney.
The Times-Journal will be republishing articles from 1994 and will speak with those who knew Phil Brooks, and who have knowledge of his killing in the coming weeks.
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