Wallowa & Union County DAs Frolander & McDaniel and DA Employee Rene’ Layton Accused of Creating Crimes to Further the Alleged Theft of the Tye Estate
By Michael Quiel
Investigative Reporter
Wallowa County, Oregon – Rene’ Layton, a longtime employee of the Wallowa County District Attorney’s Office who also served as power of attorney and later personal representative for her late father Ronald Theodore J. Tye, is at the center of a complaint that paints a picture of systematic self-dealing, abuse of official position, and coordinated efforts with District Attorneys to create crimes in order to further the alleged theft of the Tye estate and silence family members who asked questions.
US~Observer has received a complaint alleging that Layton, Wallowa County District Attorney Rebecca Frolander, and Union County District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel have worked together to assist Layton in gaining control the Tye estate and crush opposition through manufactured criminal charges.
According to the complaint, Layton is alleged to have sold estate parcels to her own daughter Mishelle Williams and to Kyle Hook while cash offers of $302,000 and $292,000 were on the table. She is alleged to have handed her brother John Tye and his wife Terri Tye a 20-year lease on the family home and ranch for nothing more than taxes, utilities, and insurance. She is alleged to have changed bank accounts to survivorship designations that favored herself and preferred siblings. And she filed a $299,671.25 personal claim against the estate for personal care she provided to her father Ronald Tye. Multiple transactions reportedly remain under investigation.
An individual associated with the care facility where Ronald Tye lived gave a detailed written statement to US~Observer and requested anonymity. That source remains anonymous.
This source reported Layton’s alleged abuse of power to Wallowa County Sheriff Ryan Moody. The Sheriff never called back. The source emailed County Commissioners. No one responded. The source stated she hesitated to contact District Attorney Rebecca Frolander “for fear of retaliation” from Rene’ Layton and Frolander.
When the facility issued a 30-day move-out notice because Ronald Tye’s needs exceeded its capacity, Layton protested. Reportedly, she then personally delivered subpoenas, leaving them on desks without signatures or compensation. W
hen this source could not appear at a hearing because her own stepfather was dying, Layton allegedly came to the source’s private home after being told not to and left a menacing message: “You tell [the source] I play the long game.”
Even after winning an administrative hearing, the harassment reportedly continued. One witness states that Layton accused care home staff of lying and sent Deputy Billy Wells — allegedly out of jurisdiction — to a staff member’s home and repeatedly to the workplace to question them. She filed multiple Adult Protective Services complaints. Nothing was ever substantiated.
The source’s conclusion was direct: “The woman is a menace.” And: “Rene Layton certainly abuses her position in the county.” Staff who dealt with her were left anxious, having nightmares, and paranoid of further false accusations.
The same pattern was turned against Loretta Tye, Rene’s sister. Rene’ Layton herself reportedly went to the Lewiston, Idaho Police Department and attempted to bring criminal libel charges against Loretta Tye based on a House bill that was never passed into law. The Idaho prosecutors are said to have reviewed the materials and they denied the request. They determined the matter was civil and that no violation of Idaho Code had occurred.
Separate telephonic-harassment charges were then filed against Loretta Tye in Wallowa County based on private family group-chat messages in which Loretta raised concerns about her father’s care, isolation, and the handling of the estate. Our source’s complaint asserts those messages were good-faith advocacy by a daughter and heir — not crimes. The Wallowa County criminal case remains active and is set for continuation on the docket.
Because Layton works inside the Wallowa County District Attorney’s Office, the case was handed to a special prosecutor from Union County under Kelsie McDaniel. The complaint calls this arrangement a transparent illusion of propriety designed to hide the obvious conflicts of interest and the coordination between the two offices.
US~Observer wrote District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel directly on August 3, 2026. McDaniel responded that she had received the letter and voicemail, was out of the office sick, and would respond when she returns to the office. US~Observer gave her 10 days allowance for the response. She has not responded. The criminal charges remain. In this case McDaniel’s silence is an absolute admission of guilt. Clean prosecutors have no problem responding to the press.
Facebook comments defending Layton and attacking the reporting of this matter have been posted. Among the defenders are currently serving Wallowa County officials. Newly elected Commissioner Cody Lathrop publicly told people to “take it with a grain of salt” and called Rene “a wonderful person.” Treasurer Ginger Goebel-Burns dismissed the reporting as “vindictive nonsense” and “family drama at its very worst.” US~Observer is investigating these comments and the roles of the commenters inside Wallowa County government. The complaint asserts this enlarges the circle of influence far beyond what was first anticipated. One thing is certain, neither Cody Lathrop nor Ginger Goebel-Burns have any first-hand knowledge of the facts in this case. So, why are they sticking up for Layton – let the reader be the judge!
The public has a right to know when a longtime District Attorney’s Office employee is alleged to use the power of that office, county deputies, and neighboring prosecutors to create crimes, harass private citizens, control an estate, and silence family questions. District Attorney Rebecca Frolander and District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel have a duty to answer for their roles.
The cat is out of the bag. No amount of silence or official defense will stop the US~Observer from reporting what is alleged to have occurred in this case.
If anyone has additional information on Rene’ Layton, District Attorney Rebecca Frolander, District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel, Wallowa County Commissioner Cody Lathrop, Wallowa County Treasurer Ginger Goebel-Burns or the handling of the Ronald Tye estate and his care, contact the US~Observer immediately at submissions@usobserver.com or 602-960-4609.
