Cold Case Closed: Remains Found in Olympic National Park in 2000 Identified
Human remains discovered more than a quarter-century ago in a remote section of Olympic National Park have been positively identified as a man originally from Hawaii, the National Park Service announced Wednesday.
Through a collaborative, multi-agency investigation utilizing advanced forensic genealogy, authorities confirmed the remains belong to Joseph Louis Serrao Jr.
According to his family, Serrao had been in Washington state before he disappeared, and their last known contact with him was in 1998.
The mystery began in July 2000, when a researcher exploring the remote Sol Duc River drainage came across a tent. Inside, skeletal remains were found in a sleeping bag, prompting the researcher to notify park authorities.
Following the discovery, the remains were transported to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, where a pathologist determined the deceased was likely a man between 30 and 50 years old who had been dead for anywhere from six months to four years.
Investigators with the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory processed items recovered from the campsite but were unable to develop usable latent fingerprints. For decades, the identity of the man remained unknown.
A pivotal breakthrough arrived in 2024. A forensic anthropologist with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office submitted a DNA sample from the remains to Othram, a laboratory specializing in forensic genealogy.
By analyzing a broad range of DNA markers, Othram successfully generated new investigative leads and identified potential family connections by 2025.
Acting on these leads, the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch reached out to relatives across several states, including Hawaii.
Investigators conducted interviews and collected reference DNA samples to compare against the remains. Ultimately, a combination of genetic, genealogical, and circumstantial evidence allowed officials to conclusively identify Serrao.
“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,” Debra Flowers, deputy chief of the National Park Service ISB, said in a news release.
“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.”
The National Park Service did not disclose any details regarding a suspected cause of death.