A man whose skeletal remains were discovered at remote campsite in the wilderness of Washington state has been identified more than 25 years after the grisly find.
The remains were found inside a sleeping bag in a tent in a remote area of Olympic National Park in the year 2000, according to the National Park Service.
Investigators were initially unable to determine the person’s identity, but in 2025 a lab specializing in forensic genealogy used a DNA sample to identify possible relatives.
After conducting interviews with family members in several states and analyzing genetic evidence, investigators were finally able to identify the man as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr.
“This case remained unresolved for nearly 30 years, but investigators never lost sight of the goal of identifying this individual and finding answers for his family,” said Debra Flowers, deputy chief of the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.
“I’m proud of the persistence and collaboration that made this identification possible, and I hope it brings some measure of closure to those who have spent so many years wondering what happened to Joseph.”
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After the remains were discovered in 2000, they were sent to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, which determined the person was likely a man between 30 and 50 years old who had been dead for anywhere from six months to four years, according to the National Parks Service. Investigators were unable to get usable fingerprints from the scene.
In 2024, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office sent a DNA sample to forensic genealogy lab Othram, which conducted further analysis to identify possible relatives.
Investigators with the National Park Service then interviewed family in multiple states, including Hawaii, and collected DNA samples for comparison.
Serrao, a native of Hawaii, had been in Washington before going missing. He hadn’t been in touch with family since 1998, two years before his remains were found.
