Body of missing man found in shallow, unmarked grave near Nisqually River

Detectives in the South Sound have found the body of a missing man from Thurston County in a shallow, unmarked grave.

Robert Erwin had been missing for weeks and after several tips, detectives for the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office found his body buried near the Nisqually River. Erwin was a “transient in his early 40s from the Yelm area,” according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

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Detectives are investigating numerous rumors surrounding Erwin’s death — now ruled a homicide — after tipsters claimed he had been murdered and buried near Yelm. But those tips led deputies nowhere. It was only when they were following a lead on a different case that Erwin’s body was found, according to The Chronicle. His identity was confirmed by the Thurston County Coroner on Thursday, June 6, with his family soon notified.

The sheriff’s office stated there are several rumors about how Erwin died, and they are asking people with information about the case to reach out to detectives. You can contact Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputies with any tips or information through this email: detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.

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Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.