Skeletal remains found Jan. 31 near Smith Creek north of Raymond have been positively identified as those of Killian P. Tsogo of Raymond, who was reported missing in 2012 when he was 18 years old.

Pacific County Sheriff Scott Johnson stated, “We are truly sorry for the Tsogo family’s loss. We can only hope that the family will gain some type of closure as a result of the conclusion of this investigation.”

The remains were found by members of a tree thinning company about three miles north of Raymond in a heavily forested area of Smith Creek. A lengthy scene investigation was conducted jointly by the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, the Raymond Police Department and Pacific County Coroner’s Office.

A majority of the skeletal remains were still present in and around the scene, including the skull and teeth. The skull displayed what appeared to be an entry and exit hole caused by a single gunshot; investigators also located a semi-automatic pistol at the scene directly next to a portion of the skeletal remains. The pistol was discovered to be in the loaded position indicating that it had been fired and a live bullet had cycled into the chamber. A single spent shell casing was also located at the scene that matched the caliber and ammunition brand that the recovered pistol contained.

Investigators reviewed pending missing person’s cases that were still active and quickly focused on a 2012 missing person’s case involving Tsogo, due to the background of that case and the similarities between that case and the discovery of the skeletal remains.

Experts from the state and King County Medical Examiner’s Office matched the remains to Tsogo. The investigation ended with a cause of death ruling as suicide, and next of kin has been notified of the identification and conclusion.

Raymond Police Chief Chuck Spoor added, “During the course of one’s law enforcement career, there are generally some cases that remain unsolved, and cause us to pause and think about it nearly every day. The missing person case of Killian Tsogo was one of those cases for me. While the outcome is tragic, it is my hope that knowing what happened may give his family and friends some closure. I appreciate the close working relationship we have with the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office. From the initial ground search of the area several years ago, to the careful and deliberate search and processing of the scene during the investigation, we worked together very well in a difficult situation.”