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Remains found in WA in 2000 identified as missing Hawaii man

By
FOX 13 Seattle
Missing Persons
Published June 11, 2026 2:55 PM PDT
Published June 11, 2026 2:55 PM PDT

The Brief

    • Skeletal remains discovered inside a sleeping bag near the Sol Duc River drainage in 2000 have been identified as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr., a Hawaii man whose family lost contact with him in Washington in 1998.
    • Forensic investigators initially estimated the remains belonged to a man between 30 and 50 years old, but the case remained unresolved for nearly 30 years because his identity was unknown.
    • A breakthrough occurred after experts sent a DNA sample to Othram, allowing investigators to trace family connections across multiple states and officially confirm the identity using DNA comparisons and relative interviews.

SEATTLE - Human remains found in Olympic National Park more than 20 years ago have been identified as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr., who was reported missing in 1998.

According to the National Park Service, a researcher found skeletal remains in a sleeping bag near the Sol Duc River drainage in 2000. The King County Medical Examiner's Office determined the remains were those of a man between 30 and 50 years old, and had been dead from six months to four years before he had been found.

Despite the efforts of forensics investigators, the identity of the man remained unknown for decades.

Human remains identified as missing Hawaii man

In 2024, forensics experts sent a DNA sample of the remains to Othram, which identified possible family connections by 2025.

Investigators contacted relatives in several states, including Hawaii. Family members explained that Serrao was originally from Hawaii, but had been in Washington before he went missing. The family lost contact with him in 1998.

What they're saying:

Based on those interviews and DNA sample comparisons, the National Park Services identified the remains 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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