Summary
In April 2021, the skull of an unknown individual was found by tree planters in a wooded area near Cougar, in Cowlitz County, Washington. Several law enforcement agencies responded, including the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office, and began investigating. The skull appeared to have two entrance and two exit bullet holes. The Sheriff’s Office organized a search of the area with Cowlitz County Search and Rescue. With the aid of cadaver dogs, a femur was located. However, they did not find identification or clues that the could be used used to identify the person.
The King County Medical Examiners Office analyzed the skull and confirmed the bullet holes. The remains were also determined to likely belong to a white man of unknown age. A traditional STR DNA profile was developed for comparison to missing persons and entered into CODIS, but no matches were returned. Officials also released a forensic sketch of what the man may have looked like to encourage the public to come forward with information about the person, but there were still no credible leads and the case went cold. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP84823.
In 2025, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the provided evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the DNA profile to generate new leads in the case, including a potential family member.
Critical funding to enable forensic genetic genealogy testing in this case was made possible by Governor Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown, and the Washington State Legislature. We are so grateful for their support in providing this funding.
The news leads in the case led to a family member, who agreed to submit a familial reference DNA sample. This testing helped confirm that the unknown person was Anthony Matthew Croy, born on December 4, 1973. Croy has apparently been missing from Portland, Oregon since September 1995. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death is ongoing. The area were the remains were found, in Cougar, Washington, is about 60 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon.
Individuals who have taken a consumer DNA test can aid ongoing forensic investigations by joining the DNASolves database. Expanding the number of DNA profiles available for search increases the likelihood of successful identifications, helping to reunite families with their missing loved ones and resolve cases that have remained unanswered for years.
The identification of Anthony Croy marks the 39th case in Washington where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. To read about other cases in Washington, visit DNASolves.
Dan Miller
Director of Customer Service
Dan guides law enforcement agencies across the United States and internationally through every step of the forensic process—from crime scene to courtroom. He ensures investigators have the support and resources they need to navigate advanced DNA testing and maximize the impact of forensic evidence in their cases.