Human remains found in Chelan County ID’d as Patricia Colyer, a woman missing from Tacoma since 1986
Jun 10, 2026, 7:59 AM | Updated: 8:00 am
A Chelan County Sheriff's Office vehicle. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Human remains discovered a month ago in Chelan County were identified as Patricia L. Colyer, a woman who’s been missing for nearly 40 years.
In May, a partial human skull was discovered near milepost 27 on Entiat River Road in Chelan County. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab were then able to identify the remains. No additional remains or evidence have been found.
Colyer, born in 1948, was last seen on July 4, 1986 before she was reported missing from Tacoma. The remains were identified using a DNA sample from a relative, who submitted the sample 20 years ago.
“Because the bone was only a partial cranium, a manner of death cannot be determined; the cause of death is listed as undetermined,” Chelan County Coroner Earl Crowe said.
The Tacoma Police Department is taking over the investigation, but there are currently no leads or suspects. Anyone with information on Patricia Colyer’s disappearance is urged to contact the Tacoma Police Department.
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