Oklahoma state Senate candidate found dead just days after he failed to show up to meeting: 'Our world is upside down'

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 04:06, 1 May 2026 | Updated: 04:19, 1 May 2026 A candidate for state senate in Oklahoma was found dead just days after he was reported missing when he failed to show up for a meeting. Barry Christian, 54, was in the race to be the Republican candidate in Oklahoma Senate District 38 and had even received an endorsement from musician Kid Rock.  Christian was was last seen on Tuesday and reported missing after failing to turn up for a scheduled meeting Wednesday.  On Thursday afternoon, his pickup truck was discovered after it crashed into a ravine in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area. The truck was on the side of the road near the town of Erick, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. Erick is about 20 minutes away from Christian's residence in Sayre, NonDoc reported.  The vehicle was a 2024 charcoal gray Dodge Ram truck. A sign promoting Christian's campaign was found nearby.  Shortly after, Christian's body was recovered inside. No cause of death has been given yet. A candidate for Oklahoma State Senate was found dead after he missed a meeting and was reported missing Barry Christian, 54, was running to be the Republican candidate in Oklahoma Senate District 38 and had even received an endorsement from conservative musician Kid Rock Because of the crash and where the vehicle was located, Christian's body has yet to be removed from inside of the truck.  'At this time, the circumstances surrounding Mr. Christian's death remain under investigation,' a campaign statement said.  'Authorities have not yet released additional details pending notification of all family members and further examination.'  'Please pray for our family and friends. Our world is upside down right now. We are still not sure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad's legacy with dignity,' Christian's daughter Brooklyn told KOCO in a statement. 'We are extremely grateful to everyone who assisted in the search efforts, and all of the media outlets that shared his information. I know there will be lots of people devastated by his passing.' His last public event was the Mangum Rattlesnake Derby which he had used as a campaign stop.  Christian's LinkedIn profile said the prior to his entrance into state politics, he had worked as a drilling consultant with a long history in Oklahoma's oil and gas industry.  He and Rock had shared a friendship, which led to the rock star contributing to a campaign video for Christian.  He was was last seen on Tuesday and reported missing after failing to turn up for a scheduled meeting Wednesday His vehicle was believed to be a 2024 charcoal gray Dodge Ram truck and a sign promoting Christian's campaign was found nearby Christian's campaign website appears to be down in the wake of his death.   Brooklyn Christian added that her father 'wanted nothing more than to provide and protect his family. He lived only for his kids. He loved his kid with everything in him.'  Law enforcement is still investigating and anyone with information is asked to contact the Sayre Police Department.  The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office will confirm the identity of the deceased and their cause of death.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.