Investigators probing the mysterious deaths of two 25-year-old hunters have uncovered a chilling clue in the woods: a strange symbol carved into a tree only yards from the men’s camp. Etched below the symbol was a phrase that investigators say appeared to foreshadow their deaths.
Law enforcement sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the symbol as “ritualistic in appearance,” resembling intersecting circles with jagged markings. Beneath it, crudely scratched into the bark, was a short phrase investigators now call “an eerie prediction” of the hunters’ fate. Officials have not yet released the exact wording, citing its disturbing content.
“This wasn’t random graffiti,” one investigator told reporters. “It appears deliberate, as if someone wanted to leave a message tied to what happened.”
The discovery comes after weeks of unsettling developments in the case. Toxicology reports revealed the hunters had ingested dangerous compounds before the storm that supposedly killed them. Their phones contained a five-minute video showing they were being followed, and hand-drawn maps found in their packs pointed to a location miles away.
Now, the symbol and cryptic phrase deepen suspicions that the deaths were not accidental but part of something darker. Forensic teams are analyzing the carving for tool marks and DNA, while linguists are reviewing the phrase for possible cultural or cult-related origins.
Local residents say rumors of strange symbols and whispered warnings have circulated in the region for years, but no case has ever turned so deadly.
“This is the most disturbing piece of evidence so far,” the investigator said. “If the phrase really did predict their deaths, we’re dealing with a perpetrator who wanted to terrorize as much as kill.”