‘It’s just so bizarre’: Jake and Spike dig into mystery of 20 to 25 dead canines washing up on WA island
Apr 7, 2026, 3:00 PM
Around 20 to 25 dead canines have washed ashore on Guemes Island in Skagit County — double the number first reported the week before, according to KIRO 7. Investigators aren’t sure if the animals are dogs, foxes, coyotes, or something else, as they have been so mutilated.
KIRO hosts Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, like island locals, found the mystery dark and disturbing.
“It’s just so bizarre. And what are the answers to this?” Jake said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio.
Guemes Islanders who found a few of the carcasses on the beach told KIRO 7 it was like nothing they’ve ever seen. Now, theories are running wild, with some speculating that witches were involved, or maybe a serial killer.
KIRO 7 also spoke with Guemes Island Fire Chief Olivia Cole, who told the media outlet people do not need to worry about their dogs being kidnapped.
“I think the concerns are obviously people wondering, ‘Do we need to worry about our dogs being taken by somebody, and then killed?'” Jake said.
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Dead canines found decomposed, skinned, and with paws cut off
The remains have been found in various states of decay, some badly decomposed, others appearing skinned, and many with their paws cut off. That led Spike to think the culprit could be a fur trapper.
“My first thought was, somebody is skinning, or why would they be skinning dogs? That’s just horrific,” he said.
One local compared the sinister findings to “the start of a horror movie,” according to The Guardian.
“When you see these carcasses floating, I mean, literally dozens of these are floating off the coast, off the shore, and coming ashore,” Spike said.
Jake thought of the show “Mindhunter,” which details how the FBI first coined the term “serial killer” and explores the criminal psychology behind them.
“A lot of that is animal cruelty,” he said.
Jake also pointed out that Guemes Island was known as “Dog Island” due to the now-extinct Salish woolly dogs that lived there, according to NBC News. But he noted the carcasses could have been dumped from anywhere and then washed up on that island.
Cole told “The Jake and Spike Show” that authorities are conducting tests right now to determine what types of canines the carcasses are. The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office told KIRO 7 it could take two to three weeks for DNA testing to come back.
Watch the full discussion in the video above.
Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.
