Snohomish detectives renew plea for tips in Shelby Wright case, who’s been missing for 22 years
Apr 8, 2026, 6:17 AM
Photos of Shelby Wright around the time he went missing 22 years ago. (Photos courtesy of Snohomish County Sheriff's Office)
(Photos courtesy of Snohomish County Sheriff's Office)
Shelby Wright, a teenager who has now been missing for 22 years, had a birthday on Tuesday, April 7, making him 36 years old.
As his birthday passed, Snohomish County detectives are renewing their request for public tips regarding his disappearance, as it remains an active missing persons investigation.
Wright, a Snohomish resident, was living with a relative in Machias when he went missing. His last known location was near the Machias Cemetery. His laptop also went missing when he vanished, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. He was 14 when he went missing.
“I don’t know, you just wake up, and you think it’s a dream,” Wright’s mother, Lisa, told KOMO News in 2013. “He’s my only child. I’m not going to be a grandmother. I won’t be able to see him get married.”
According to Wright’s mother, she believes Shelby saw something that he shouldn’t have seen, and is most likely dead. Still, she seeks closure and wants to know what happened.
Despite more than two decades passing, Snohomish County’s Major Crimes Unit remains committed to finding answers and bringing closure to Shelby’s family.
If you have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office asks that you submit a tip at (425) 388-3845 or online here.
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