Summary
In February 2020, human skeletal remains were found by a longshoreman at the Weyerhaeuser dock in Longview, Washington. Detectives with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office searched the area and found a nearly complete skeleton buried in thick blackberry bushes. The skeleton was collected, and the scene was processed. The skeletal remains were sent to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office for a full forensic examination. The examination showed no signs of trauma, and the cause of death is unknown. Forensic Odontologist made a dental record for comparison with the National Missing Person’s Database. Anthropological analysis suggested that the skeletal remains belonged to an adult Caucasian or Hispanic male.
In November of 2021 Detectives began working with Othram, a private DNA lab that specializes in advanced forensic DNA testing. The casework was funded by a DNASolves® Crowfund and we appreciate everyone that helped fund this case. Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® and genetic genealogy, they were able to identify potential family members of the unidentified subject. Othram's in-house genealogy team delivered leads back to law enforcement and detectives contacted the family, learning that they had a missing family member. Jade David Feigert was 22 years old and living in Columbia County, OR when he went missing in February 2017. Feigert was last seen when he was dropped off in Kelso, WA by his mother.
Detectives worked with Feigert’s mother, Monica Feigert, and sent her DNA profile, that she had from a consumer DNA testing company, to Othram. Othram compared the DNA and determined that it was a match to a mother/son relationship. Detectives also contacted Feigert’s father, Michael Smith, who lives in Texas.
Detectives had also worked with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). NamUs is a nationwide tracking system for missing and unidentified subjects. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office had entered the characteristics of the remains in to NamUs. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office had entered Feigert’s information into NamUs when his family had reported him missing in March of 2021 as UP67764. After Othram led Detectives to Feigert, NamUs had a Forensic Odontologist compare the dental records of the two subjects and determined that they matched.
Cowlitz County detectives notified Monica Feigert and Michael Smith of the positive identification. The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office will work with the family to turn over Jade’s remains. There is no indication that Jade Feigert died as a result of a crime and the investigation will be closed.
The family is requesting privacy at this time and does not wish to be contacted by media.
Michael Vogen
Director of Case Management
Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.