WA deputies find remains of missing Indigenous woman at JBLM
Remains of missing woman Aidan Spear found in Pierce County, WA
Authorities say the remains of Aidan Spear, who disappeared in 2022, have been found near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The discovery is leading to a joint investigation and raising new questions in the case.
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Pierce County Sheriff's officials report they found the body of missing 21-year-old Aidan Spear at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, ending a four-year search for the missing woman.
While the search is over, Spear's mom, Jessica Brown, tells FOX 13 Seattle the case is just beginning. She and her family are heartbroken and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The Discovery
What we know:
The investigation took a grim turn in January of this year when remains were located in a wooded area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) near Spanaway. After months of forensic analysis, officials were able to confirm the identity as Aidan Spear on Thursday.
Aidan Spear
Because the remains were found on military property, the scope of the investigation may now expand.
This discovery opens up new leads and avenues for the joint investigation with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The backstory:
Aidan vanished in January 2022, just months before Washington State enacted its Missing Indigenous Person Alert (MIPA) system — a tool designed specifically to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Deputies looking for missing woman out of Pierce County
21-year-old Aidan Spear is a Native American, 5?6", 120 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was reported missing on Feb. 22. Her family hasn't seen her since Jan. 24, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.
A Mother’s Long Search
For Brown, the years since 2022 have been defined by a painful struggle against a system she felt failed her daughter. Brown watched Aidan’s mental health decline and her struggle with substance use intensify, but she says she found little support when she tried to intervene.
"You just watch somebody you love so much, and you know they're doing something that is so terrible, but there is nothing you can do about it," Brown said.
In January 2022, there was a brief moment of hope.
Aidan told her mother she was finally ready to seek treatment. However, she told her mother she needed to "say goodbye" to someone first.
"That was the last time I’ve ever seen or talked to her," Brown said.
Latest on the investigation
Officials with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office tell FOX 13 Seattle it is too early to say if this is a homicide investigation, but call the discovery suspicious – saying it is not normal to find human remains in a wooded area.
While the remains were found on JBLM property, sheriff's officials say the area can be accessed by the public.
Brown said anyone looking to keep up with the latest information on her daughter's case can go to this Facebook page.
Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding Aidan Spear's death to contact the Pierce County Sheriff's Office at (253) 287-4455, or submit a tip to Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.