http://www.theolympian.com/670/story/425645.htmlRemains of Tumwater man missing since 2005 found
The Olympian
The remains of a 34-year-old Tumwater man who has been missing since 2005 was discovered and positively identified last week in Grays Harbor County, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office said.
A thinning crew working in a densely wooded area of Grays Harbor County, west of the Wynoochee River and south of what used to be Camp Grisdale found what was later determined to be Samuel Jay Witcraft’s remains on Thursday, Chief B. Dean Byrd said.
The discovery was made a short distance from where a vehicle believed to be driven by Witcraft was found on Jan. 21, 2005.
He was last seen at about 7:30 a.m. the morning of Jan. 3, 2005 by coworkers. He had reported for work at a logging site on the Project 5 Road in west Mason County. He left the work site to contact a party in the Wishkah area of Grays Harbor County, who was providing welding services for the logging equipment Witcraft was operating. He never arrived and has not been seen since.
Officials from both Mason and Grays Harbor counties conducted an extensive investigation, including at least two searches of the area where Witcraft’s vehicle was found but were not able to turn up clues as to what happened to him.
Everything found at the scene Thursday is consistent with the remains belonging to Witcraft, according to Undersheriff Rick Scott of the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office. A Witcraft family member was at the scene assisting investigators, Scott said.
The Grays Harbor County coroner’s office positively identified the remains on Friday through dental records. County officials continue to investigate the discovery site and try to determine a cause of death.