By Roger Lanse
On June, 24, 2020, at about 1:15 p.m., Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies and detectives responded to an unattended death call in reference to the discovery of human remains near the Tadpole Fire by U.S. Forest Service employees. The law enforcement officers were told they would have to hike about a mile in rough terrain. One GCSO sergeant and two detectives returned to the station for water and hiking gear, while another GCSO sergeant and the Forest Service personnel elected to return in the morning when it would be cooler.
According to a GCSO offense report, the next day at approximately 7 a.m., GCSO personnel met with four USFS hot shots and an Office of the Medical Investigator individual and they all hiked to the remains.
When they arrived at the scene, the report stated, a detective began looking through the backpacks but couldn't find any identification. However, he did find a notebook with suicide notes inside and a Walmart receipt dated Aug. 5, 2015. Also located were female undergarments and male clothing and "human bones were scattered all over." They also recovered a Smith and Wesson revolver but it was too rusted to obtain the serial number.
The bones were gathered, placed inside a body bag and taken to Bright Funeral Home.
GCSO's Criminal Investigation Unit is working to identify the remains and the case stays open.