15 months later, human remains found in Mountlake Terrace still unidentified

Approximately 15 months after human remains were discovered by a construction worker in Mountlake Terrace, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office is still trying to identify the person.

In January 2025, a construction worker discovered a bucket containing what was later confirmed to be a human skull while renovating a home. The worker contacted local authorities, and the remains were handed off to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.

By Tuesday, more than a year after first finding the remains, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled out more than 20 individuals as a match. A list of who has been ruled out can be seen here.

The department previously released a forensic drawing of what the woman may have looked like last August, seen above. The drawing was created by Natalie Murry Forensic Art. According to the department, the woman whose human remains were discovered has most likely been dead for many years before being found.

“Forensic drawings rarely look EXACTLY like the person we’re trying to find. A lot of the soft tissue features are guesses,” the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office stated. “Look for a likeness in any feature or even just overall similarities, but don’t get hung up because the nose doesn’t quite match or the hair is the wrong color.”

The Medical Examiner’s Office believes the person in question could be between 20 and 60 years old.

“We don’t know her age. Our guess is roughly 20-60 years old,” the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office wrote. “It can be very difficult to tell from just a cranium.”

If you recognize her or see a familiar trait, contact the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.

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