...
By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Nearly two decades after skeletal remains were discovered on a remote beach in Grays Harbor County in Washington State, authorities have identified the man once known only as "Grays Harbor County John Doe."
The Grays Harbor County Coroner’s Office, in collaboration with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office and forensic DNA company Othram, have announced the remains belong to Clarence Edwin "Ed" Asher, born April 2, 1934.
The remains were found in November 2006 on a beach near Taholah, an unincorporated village on the Quinault Indian Reservation along Washington’s Pacific coast.
Read More on Life
Deputies from the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office and the county coroner responded to the scene and determined the remains were those of an adult man, estimated to be between 20 and 60 years old or older, about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing between 170 and 180 pounds.
...
Despite extensive investigative efforts at the time, authorities were unable to identify the man. The case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP139985, where it remained unresolved for years.
In 2025, the case was reopened with the help of advances in forensic genetic genealogy.
The Grays Harbor County Coroner’s Office, working with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, submitted forensic evidence to Othram, a laboratory based in The Woodlands, Texas.
Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing—a DNA system developed by Othram—scientists successfully uncovered a comprehensive DNA profile and conducted genetic genealogy research to generate new leads on the identity of the skeleton.
Those leads pointed investigators toward potential relatives. After reference DNA samples were collected and compared, authorities confirmed the remains belonged to Asher.
"People should know that it doesn't matter how old a case is, or whether it seemed hopeless in the past, there is technology that is here today that works, and it can bring answers to a lot of families," Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram, told Newsweek. "Solving cases like this is obviously a priority for the Grays Harbor Coroner and the leadership in Washington state and we know we can get the answers so that families don't have to wait any longer."
Asher had been declared legally dead in 2006 after he was presumed to have drowned while crabbing in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, on September 5 of that year. He was 72 years old.
...
Born and raised in Oregon, Asher was a longtime community leader in Fossil. He opened Asher’s Variety Store in 1965, worked as a lineman for the Fossil Telephone Company, and served as mayor of the town before retiring in 1995.
Asher’s wife, Helen, died in 2018 at 85 years old, 12 years after her husband’s disappearance. According to her obituary, his death left a "large hole in Helen’s heart."
The identification of Ed Asher marks the 43rd case in Washington state in which an individual has been publicly identified using Othram’s technology. The company says that its involvement helps give long-awaited answers to families, closing cases that have remained unsolved for decades.
UPDATE 01/14/25 10:46 a.m.: This story was updated with additional comment from Othram.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines