Dad and Daughter Vanished During Road Trip — 7 Years Later, Their Camper Van Was Found

Every missing person has a life, a family, and a story that deserves to be heard. On this channel, we share powerful, emotional stories of people who have disappeared—sometimes under strange, heartbreaking, or inexplicable circumstances. Each episode follows the facts, the mysteries, and the questions that linger long after the headlines fade.

But these aren’t just cases—they are deeply human stories of loss, hope, and the search for truth.

A Father-Daughter Adventure Turns into Tragedy

In the summer of 2016, Derek Hollandbeck—a 42-year-old history teacher from Iowa—set out on a cross-country road trip with his 16-year-old daughter, Kloe. Derek had spent months planning this journey as a special bonding experience before Kloe started her junior year. Together, they dreamed of camping under starry skies, exploring national parks, and creating memories that would last a lifetime.

Instead, somewhere along the remote mountain roads of northwest Montana, Derek and Kloe vanished without a trace. No distress calls, no abandoned vehicle, no witnesses. It was as if the wilderness had swallowed them whole.

For seven years, their fate remained one of Montana’s most baffling missing person cases. Family, friends, and the community never gave up hope, organizing searches and keeping their story alive, but the mountains offered only silence.

Portrait of the Victims: A Loving Father and an Adventurous Daughter

Derek was the kind of father every child dreams of—dedicated, patient, and loving. After his divorce, he devoted all his free time to Kloe, a bright, curious girl passionate about environmental science and photography. Kloe longed to see the American West, capturing its beauty through her camera lens.

This trip was Kloe’s idea, and Derek made it happen. They meticulously planned every detail, restored a classic Volkswagen camper van, and packed it with camping gear, cameras, and even a mini darkroom for developing film. The van, nicknamed “Explorer,” became a symbol of their shared spirit of adventure and the bond between father and daughter.

The Final Days: Memories Left Behind

They visited iconic landmarks—Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Yellowstone—posting cheerful photos and updates on social media. Friends and family followed their journey, seeing the joy on their faces and the excitement in their captions.

On July 27, 2016, a gas station camera in Livingston, Montana, captured the last confirmed images of Derek and Kloe. They were headed north toward Glacier National Park, but after that, they simply disappeared.

When Derek missed a scheduled call, Kloe’s mother, Linda, immediately contacted authorities. The search began: helicopters scanned the mountains, rescue teams combed every road and campsite, but all traces ended at the Livingston gas station. No one had seen them since.

Seven Years of Silence — Then the Van Reappears

Years passed, hope faded, but the family and community never stopped searching. Every summer, volunteers combed new areas of the Montana wilderness, refusing to let the story die.

Then, on July 18, 2023, a forestry crew discovered a rusted blue-and-white van hidden deep in Beargrass Valley, far from any main road. It was the “Explorer”—the same van Derek and Kloe had driven into the forest seven years earlier.

Inside, their belongings remained: cameras, travel journals, wallets, keys. Outside, a hastily abandoned campsite and a long-extinguished fire. Derek’s travel journal contained a final entry: “wrong turn, strange man offering help.” The handwriting grew shaky and erratic—he was clearly under stress.

Experts determined the van had been there for seven years. Search dogs indicated human remains had once been present, but no bodies were found. DNA inside the van revealed a third, unidentified person had been there.

The Killer Revealed and Unanswered Pain

The case shifted from missing persons to homicide. The unidentified DNA matched Raymond Cartwright—a local with a violent history living just 15 miles from the van’s location. Police found Kloe’s camera, the family’s camping gear, and chilling photographs taken by Cartwright, documenting Derek and Kloe’s final hours.

Faced with overwhelming evidence, Cartwright confessed: he had approached Derek and Kloe when they got lost, offered help, then forced them at gunpoint to his remote campsite. He terrorized and ultimately killed them, disposing of their bodies in an abandoned mine shaft whose location he refused to reveal.

Cartwright was sentenced to life in prison without parole, but the family’s pain remains—Derek and Kloe’s bodies were never recovered.

Legacy of Loss and a Cautionary Tale

Linda Hollandbeck, Kloe’s mother, established a foundation to support families of missing persons and improve safety for travelers in wilderness areas. Schools and friends created memorials, scholarships, and photography contests in honor of Derek and Kloe, keeping their memory alive.

The case led to improvements in emergency communication and raised awareness about the risks of traveling in remote areas.

The story of Derek and Kloe Hollandbeck is a heartbreaking reminder that danger can lurk in the most beautiful and peaceful places. Sometimes, a moment of trust in a stranger can lead to unimaginable tragedy.

What are your thoughts on this case? Have you ever felt lost or unsafe during a road trip or adventure? Share your experiences and theories in the comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe for more emotional true crime stories and unsolved mysteries.

Cherish every moment with loved ones—and always stay vigilant on every journey.