world
Remains Found in Olympic National Park Identified as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr.
Human remains discovered in 2000 inside a tent along the Sol Duc River drainage have been identified through forensic genealogy as belonging to Joseph Louis Serrao Jr., born December 3, 1960.
Nbc NewsAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Human remains discovered in July 2000 inside a tent in a remote area of the Sol Duc River drainage in Olympic National Park, Washington, have been identified as those of Joseph Louis Serrao Jr. A researcher found the remains in a sleeping bag inside the tent.
A pathologist at the time estimated the remains were those of a man between 30 and 50 years old who had been deceased for six months to four years.
No identity could be confirmed at the time. Items recovered from inside the tent were processed by the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory but yielded no usable latent fingerprints. The case remained unresolved until 2024.
In 2024, a forensic anthropologist submitted a DNA sample from the remains to Othram Laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Analysts at the laboratory extracted DNA from the skeletal evidence and used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile. In 2025, investigators identified possible family connections across several states, including Hawaii.
Relatives were contacted, interviewed, and asked to provide DNA samples that were compared against the profile derived from the remains. , who was born on December 3, 1960. Serrao’s family last had contact with him in 1998.
“I hope it brings some measure of closure to those who have spent so many years wondering what happened to Joseph,” Flowers said. @NBCNews reported the identification on June 12, 2026.
