By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Skeletal remains discovered in Washington State have been identified as those of Edwin Asher, the former mayor of Fossil, Oregon, who disappeared in 2006. Asher vanished while crabbing in Tillamook Bay, leading to the assumption that he drowned and was declared dead that same year. Despite the discovery of skeletal remains in a Washington County in November of 2006, the individual remained unidentified until the Grays Harbor Coroner’s Office and Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy lab, employed genome sequencing and genetic genealogy, ultimately leading to the identification of the remains as Asher. The identification was confirmed after comparison to a relative’s DNA, ending the 20-year mystery of his disappearance.
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Skeletal remains that washed up on Washington beach identified as Oregon mayor who vanished 20 years ago. It’s a headline that grabs you, doesn’t it? The sheer improbability of it all, the decades-long mystery finally unwound on a windswept beach. The fact that the remains themselves surfaced two decades prior, shortly after the mayor disappeared, adds another layer of intrigue. Now, imagine finding out that the remains were identified just recently, twenty years after they were found, thanks to the magic of DNA sequencing. It really underscores the power of forensic genealogy, and makes you appreciate how far technology has come in helping solve these kinds of cold cases. It also makes you wonder about the countless other mysteries out there, the missing persons whose stories haven’t yet found their closure.
Skeletal remains that washed up on Washington beach identified as Oregon mayor who vanished 20 years ago. The specific circumstances are a bit bizarre, aren’t they? The former mayor of Fossil, Oregon, a town with a population shy of 500 people, most likely disappeared twenty years ago. The discovery of remains on a Washington beach followed the disappearance by a mere two months. Even without the recent DNA identification, you’d think he’d be high up on the list of potential matches. It’s almost too neat, the way these things sometimes come together. It is definitely a situation where it makes you wonder about the currents and their ability to carry things across vast distances, connecting disparate places and events.
Skeletal remains that washed up on Washington beach identified as Oregon mayor who vanished 20 years ago. The fact that the remains themselves turned up two months after the mayor went missing and twenty years before the identification, adds a layer of eerie resonance. It almost feels like the universe was trying to offer a clue back then, but the technology just wasn’t ready to listen. It’s a reminder that sometimes the pieces of the puzzle are right there, waiting for the right tools to bring them into focus. It makes you wonder how many other cases are waiting for a breakthrough, how many families are still waiting for answers.
Skeletal remains that washed up on Washington beach identified as Oregon mayor who vanished 20 years ago. Now, considering the fact that this identification involved DNA sequencing, you can’t help but acknowledge the significance of funding forensic genealogy. It really is an amazing thing, the way DNA can unlock these secrets. It makes you think about all the other missing persons cases out there, and how many of them could be solved if the resources were available. This particular identification was Othram’s 43rd in Washington State alone, which is a testament to the power of that organization and that technology.
Skeletal remains that washed up on Washington beach identified as Oregon mayor who vanished 20 years ago. The description of the former mayor’s age as “20 to 60 years old or older” is funny; it’s an incredibly broad range. Although not necessarily useful, there is something intriguing about the mystery, the almost whimsical connection between a disappearance, a body, and the passage of time.
Skeletal remains that washed up on Washington beach identified as Oregon mayor who vanished 20 years ago. The fact that the remains were also discovered two decades ago makes it a more interesting and complete mystery to read about. It’s hard not to be fascinated by the way events unfold and the way closure can be brought, even after so much time has passed. It almost makes you start to dream up your own theories about what could have happened. What happened to DB Cooper? Where is Jimmy Hoffa? What about these other missing people? The wheels of speculation are always turning.