Circumstances of Disappearance
Ackerson was last seen by three male companions at Nye Beach in Newport, OR on March 24, 1990.
Ackerson, of Puyallup, Washington, was reported as a runaway from the Angell Job Corps after he left with three other students, one of which was Troy Culver. The three returned later that evening without Ackerson.

Troy Culver was indicted on murder and manslaughter charges regarding Ackerson, in June 2010. Culver first told police he recalled going to Newport with Ackerson. Then in August 2009, Culver, who was on post-prison supervision on a conviction for encouraging child sex abuse, told his parole officer that he had killed Ackerson.

Culver and the others had spent that March 1990 day at the beach drinking beer and hanging out with friends. That evening, Culver admits to have assaulted Ackerson to the point of unconsciousness or death and threw his body off the Yaquina Bay Bridge.