By Kevin Schmidt
WASHINGTON STATE – The United States faces many challenges daily. These challenges can range from financial struggles to theft, homelessness, and the loss of a friend or loved one. This article will focus on the loss of a friend or loved one. In 2023, 136,553 people were reported as missing, down from 340,573 in 2022, and 521,705 in 2021. In 2023, 57% of missing persons were white, 40% were minority and the other 3% were unknown race.
In the Northwest, Washington’s missing persons rate is 10.8 per 100,000 people. In 2023, the Washington State Patrol issued 215 alerts for missing people, and 51 Indigenous Peoples Alert System alerts. It is reported that 5 of the missing people in 2023 remained missing, while 2 were found deceased and the rest were located. The results on this seem incomplete considering what we have seen in the past few years.
After meeting with 7 families with missing loved ones, I learned that they have encountered many challenges. The families have come together to make a change. There have been petitions to the state to change RCWs, and to initiate funding for DNA testing on unidentified remains. Families were reportedly told, by the Attorney General, that a missing person’s task force exists, but only for Missing Native and Indigenous People. Skagit County’s failure to update policies, as well as the constant change of detectives on these cases causes chaos. There is no missing persons task force in Skagit County, which in retrospect could be one reason missing person cases are so high in the area. In 2004 missing persons “toolboxes” were to be received by local agencies from the state government, however, our local agencies had no idea what those were.
These local families hope to start a 501c3 non-profit named WAM, Washington Advocates for the Missing. This non-profit task force will focus on getting funding for DNA testing on unidentified remains, initiating search parties immediately after a missing person is reported, keeping missing person lists up to date, getting digital billboards and banners to advertise missing persons, and getting attorneys involved when needed.
Many RCWs need to change or be addressed, WAM will be working on them when they get fully operational.
RCW 68.50.320 states that within 30 days of a person going missing, or reported missing, a filing of a missing person should be reported with the state patrol, a collection of DNA samples should be collected from the known missing person and family members, ask for written consent to contact dentists for dental records and the case should be entered into the national crime information center through the Washington State Patrol electronic database.
RCW 68.50.140 states that Unlawful disturbance, removal, or sale of human remains is a Class C Felony with a statute of limitations of 7 years.
RCW 68.50.130 Unlawful disposal of remains. Every person who performs a disposition of any human remains, except as otherwise provided by law, in any place, except a cemetery or a building dedicated exclusively for religious purposes is guilty of a misdemeanor. Disposition of human remains following a cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, or natural organic reduction may also occur on private property, with the consent of the property owner; and on public or government lands or waters with the approval of the government agency that has either jurisdiction or control, or both, of the lands or waters.
RCW 68.50.050 Removal or concealment of body-Penalty. Any person, not authorized or directed by the coroner or medical examiner or their deputies, who removes the body of a deceased person not claimed by a relative or friend, or moves, disturbs, molests, or interferes with the human remains coming within jurisdiction of the coroner or medical examiner as set forth in RCW 68.50.010, to any undertaking rooms or elsewhere, or any person who knowingly directs, aids, or abets such unauthorized moving, disturbing, molesting, or taking, and any person who knowingly conceals the human remains, shall in each of the said cases be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
The legislation changes should make these felonies rather than misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges. WAM will be working diligently to make these felonies instead of misdemeanor charges. The question comes in as to why these charges would be a misdemeanor charge vs a felony charge to begin with, which is one more answer WAM will be searching for.
A list of missing persons cases that don’t have a resolution or any answers as of yet, in our area, dates back to 1992. These people are still missing to date and have become “cold cases” as the departments lack funding to continue the search for them.
Arlene Stewart 12/24/1992 missing from Concrete, WA born 05/06/1943. Arlene walked away from her home, leaving her vehicle and personal belongings behind and hasn’t been heard from since. Few details are available in this case, but authorities don’t believe that her disappearance was voluntary.
Patty Krieger 10/2/2010 While hiking the Sauk Mtn Trail with her fiancé and 5 of his friends and family members to spread the ashes of his parents at the mountain peak, she went missing down a trail in the wrong direction. Hikers told authorities that Patty and her Rottweiler headed down a different trail as they descended the mountain, the group called to her to tell her she was headed the wrong way, but she didn’t answer, and they did not follow her. Several weeks later, her dog was found alive, but malnourished. Police never charged her fiancé with her disappearance, but he was arrested on federal weapons charges in 2013 and sentenced to 10 years in prison but released in 2018. Jason Lee Presley, Patty’s fiancé, was always suspected by the family of playing a role in her disappearance, but there hasn’t been evidence showing and nobody has come forward.
Bobby Sine 02/6/2012 was last seen at approx. 9:30 pm near the Westside Bridge in Mt Vernon when he jumped from the car and was last seen on foot near the riverbank and boardwalk, according to the Mt. Vernon Police Department. It was said that the young man suffered from mental illness and made threats to harm himself. If anyone knows his whereabouts call the 24-hour tip line at 360-428-3211. Bobby would be approx. 31 years old now.
Dustin Nations 6/9/2014 missing from Concrete, WA. Last seen walking away from the 44000 block of Skagit Highway. He was visiting his estranged wife there when he left on foot with a plan to walk along SR20 down to SR530 and on to Darrington where his father lived. He never arrived and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Jessica Seybold 12/13/2017 went missing in the Trafton area of Arlington. On the day of her disappearance, she was texting people the address that she was at, saying she was with a man and that she was scared she was being set up. She has never been heard from again. After her disappearance, her ex-boyfriend went to the address and saw her car was there. The women living in the house claimed they had written permission from Jessica to have the car. Although some accounts state that she was homeless, she was living with her mother at the time and was about to go to treatment for her addiction issues. There were anonymous tips from the local drug community that she was sexually assaulted, killed, put in a black bag, and thrown in the river, but stories have not been confirmed and the case remains unresolved.
Laynee Westbrook 9/10/2020 went missing from the San Juan Motel in Anacortes with her dog Precious. She was last seen at 7:11 pm on security video leaving the hotel where she had been living. The family said she left with a man she knew. She was spotted at 7:30 pm at the Chevron gas station next to the Swinomish Casino with the same man and hasn’t been seen since. The family told King 5 News that the man took her to a campground where he had been staying and reportedly dropped her off a few blocks from the hotel in the early morning hours.
John Freday 7/4/2021 went missing from the area of Cape Horn in Concrete, WA under concerning circumstances. John was last seen alive getting into Amber Rice’s vehicle. John was not reported missing until July 17th. His disappearance raised alarm within the community, and the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office launched an official investigation.
Mikayla Standridge 4/21/2023 vanished from Concrete, WA. Five days prior to her disappearance she posted on Facebook, “If I ever go missing or anything just know I didn’t leave”. Her last location was at a home on Skagit View Drive in Concrete. After interviewing relatives, it was determined that she ran out of the residence and called 911 where she could be heard screaming for help from dispatchers, and then her phone went dead. LE arrived at the scene and were not able to locate Mikayla but found her phone near the Skagit River. Occupants of the home were interviewed by law enforcement and the area was searched. To date, there have been no updates.
Over the next several weeks, we will have more information on these missing loved ones. To gather more information, we will be conducting more interviews with their families and friends. Stay with us for more information. This story has been in the works for a year to gather information and will continue to be a working case for the near future.
If you know or have any information on these cases or any others, please contact the Washington State Patrol Missing Persons Unit at 800-543-5678. You can also contact Bellingham Metro News directly and remain anonymous and we will pass any tips received on to the appropriate authorities.
Legal Note: All Suspects are Presumed Innocent until Proven Guilty in a court of Law.
Discover more from Bellingham Metro News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
