CLALLAM COUNTY, Wash. — Human remains that washed ashore on the Olympic Peninsula in 2008 have been identified as a 17-year-old who went missing from British Columbia a year before.
On April 29, 2007, Jeffrey Surtel was reported missing by his family. They believed he left the house on his bike while they were asleep, but noted he left most of his belongings. The disappearance was out of character for him, and he never returned, the family said.
Then, in August 2008 human remains washed ashore on the Olympic Peninsula, in Clallam County. Investigators at the time tried to run DNA tests to identify the person, but no matches were found.
In 2024, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office raised funds to get the DNA sent to a private laboratory in Texas. That lab used advances in forensic genetic technology to link the DNA to someone who ended up being an extended family member of Surtel’s. Through additional follow up, they were able to link the DNA of the human remains to Surtel.
His family has been made aware of the findings.
While there is no indication of criminality, the circumstances of his disappearance and death are unknown.
“We would like to thank all the people who supported us over the years and were involved in the search for Jeff. Special mention to Jeff’s classmates and teachers at Hatzic Secondary School that searched the Fraser River Heritage Park. Also, our thanks to the dozens of people that showed up for the grid search of the Mission area,” us family said in a statement.
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