Washington State Mysteries

Catch a Killer This site lists the current, unsolved murders in Seattle since January 2010. Behind each crime statistic is a victim with a story. We want to keep the memories alive of each person behind the headlines. We also need your help to find their killers. If you have any information about these cases, please call the Homicide tip line at:  (206) 233-5000. Help SPD to catch a killer and take them off our streets. Victims: Andis Peterson and Franklin Wood DATE: January 11, 2010 TIME: 11:09 PM LOCATION: 1407 N. Northgate Way CASE # 10-12334 Roommates Franklin Wood and Andis Peterson were both murdered in January 2010 during a home invasion robbery. Franklin Wood loved to make his friends and family laugh, with his great sense of humor and clever rhymes. He was an accomplished pencil artist, drawing detailed life like portraits. He loved hanging out with his friends and family, listening to music and playing video games. Andis Petersons family says Andis was h...

Thursday, November 21, 1991 - Page updated at 12:00 AM The Victims: Forty Unsolved Murders Since 1984 This is a list of 40 unsolved killings in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties since 1984, the year officials say the Green River killer stopped murdering young women in the Seattle area. Nearly all the 40 victims were women, many whose deaths resemble the deaths of the serial killer's victims - prostitutes or young, street-wise teenagers. KING COUNTY 1. Sarah Habakangas , 17, of Virginia, found strangled Nov. 5, 1991, off Interstate 90 east of North Bend. Had been living in Tacoma and near Sea-Tac strip since arriving in Seattle area six months ago. Arrested twice in Seattle for prostitution. 2. Anna Lee Chebetnoy , 14, of Puyallup, found Sept. 17, 1991, off Highway 410 east of Enumclaw. Last seen in Puyallup. Found near where a Sumner teenager's remains discovered in 1990. 3. Remains of woman found Sept. 11, 1991, 10 miles east of Enumclaw near Highway 410. Remains wer...

Body of Drowning Victim Recovered from Skykomish River FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 29, 2015 CONTACT: Shari Ireton, Director of Communications shari.ireton@snoco.org, 425-388-3377, Media line:  425-249-6263 Courtney O’Keefe, Communications Intern, courtney.okeefe@snoco.org,  425-249-6263 SKYKOMISH, Wash. – Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue personnel have recovered the body of a 27 year-old Lake Stevens man who drowned in the North Fork of the Skykomish River on July 19.  The victim’s body was recovered this afternoon from the area near Bear Creek Falls with assistance from the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Helicopter Rescue Teams. Snohomish County Search and Rescue teams responded to the initial call that came in to 911 on Sunday, July 19.  The area where it was believed the victim had drowned was beneath a waterfall running through a narrow ravine where the water is turbulent and difficult to swim in....

Remains Identified as Missing Woman from 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  December 8, 2015 CONTACT: Shari Ireton, Director of Communications, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office shari.ireton@snoco.org, 425-388-3377, Media line:  425-249-6263 GOLD BAR, Wash. – The Snohomish County Medical Examiner has identified the human skull found in late November as Sandy L. Rideout of Ferndale.  The cause and manner of her death are pending further investigation. Rideout was reported as a missing person by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office in 2006.  She was last seen in Bellingham, but it is believed frequented the Seattle are around that time.  Major crimes detectives with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate with assistance from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Seattle Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit. Rideout’s remains were discovered by a logger on the morning of Wednesday, November 25 while marking trees on privately-owned timb...

Deceased Adult Male Found in Snohomish FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  January 22, 2016 CONTACT: Shari Ireton, Director of Communications, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office shari.ireton@snoco.org, 425-388-3377, Media line: 425-249-6263 SNOHOMISH, Wash. – The body of an adult male was discovered earlier today in a drainage ditch near the intersection of 2nd and Pine St.  The call reporting the discovery of the body was made to 911 just before noon from a passerby.  The Snohomish County Medical Examiner took custody of the body this afternoon.  Identification of the deceased, as well as cause and manner of death, is pending the ME’s examination, but it does not appear to be a suspicious death at this time. Further information will be released when it becomes available ###

View Other Items in this Archive | View All Archives | Printable Version Remains of Missing Lynnwood Man Recovered, Identified FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 28, 2016 CONTACT: Shari Ireton, Director of Communications, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office shari.ireton@snoco.org, 425-388-3377, Media line:  425-249-6263 MUKILTEO, WASH. – Divers with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office recovered human remains found in a vehicle underwater near the Mukilteo ferry dock last Friday. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner has identified those remains as belonging to 20 year-old Jose Sanchez Diaz, who went missing last August.  Cause and manner of death are pending from the ME’s Office. The remains were recovered during an early morning dive operation on July 22.  The vehicle has not been recovered and an exact date for the recovery has not been set. Sanchez Diaz’s red 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse was discovered by commercial divers under about 5...

Body Found, Detectives Investigate FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 17, 2016 CONTACT: Shari Ireton, Director of Communications, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office shari.ireton@snoco.org, 425-388-3377, Media line:  425-249-6263 MARYSVILLE, WASH. – Major Crimes detectives with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of a 29 year-old transient male whose body was found yesterday morning at the 3100 block of 88th St SE. The discovery of the body was reported to the Sheriff’s Office around 7 a.m. yesterday in an area near a power substation.  The responding deputy found the man’s body hanging from a nearby tree limb, face down. Major Crimes detectives were notified and are investigating as to whether the death is suspicious in nature.  Detectives conducted a search of the area last night, including a nearby homeless encampment, and the investigation continues. Identification of the decedent, as well as confirmation of cause and manner of death...

Tuesday, March 3, 1998 - Page updated at 12:00 AM `Mountain Man' Captured In Hills Near Darrington By Stephen Clutter, Christine Clarridge Seattle Times Snohomish County Bureau For years, people in the Darrington area have known about an older man who lived alone on Whitehorse Mountain. He occasionally would come down off the mountain, break into a few homes and go back up. Exactly where he lived, and how he lived, nobody knew. He was known only as the "Mountain Man." Now, two months after hiring a retired Border Patrol agent as a tracker, Snohomish County sheriff's deputies say they have their man - a 68-year-old former Bulgarian police officer, murder convict and escapee. Mincio Vasilev Donciev was arrested after authorities were alerted by U.S. Forest Service sensors that had been deployed to help catch him. "That's going to make me feel a lot better about taking the grandkids out there," said Marsha Chowning, whose parents bought a cabin ...