COUGAR, Wash. – More than a quarter-century after his disappearance, authorities have confirmed that skeletal remains discovered in rural Cowlitz County belong to Anthony Matthew Croy, a Portland man who went missing in 1995.
The Discovery
On April 26, 2021, contractors planting trees for Weyerhaeuser stumbled upon a human skull along the 7292 Road near Lake Merrill, outside Cougar, Washington. Detectives with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.
An initial examination revealed two entrance and two exit bullet wounds to the skull, immediately raising suspicions of foul play.
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A follow-up search on May 15, 2021, supported by Cowlitz County Search and Rescue and cadaver dogs, led to the recovery of a femur near the original discovery site. Both sets of remains were submitted for forensic analysis.
Forensic Analysis
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the gunshot wounds on the skull. Forensic DNA testing was then conducted by Bode Technology.
When early attempts to find a match through CODIS (the Combined DNA Index System) came up empty, investigators turned to Othram Inc., a private lab specializing in advanced forensic genealogy.
Breakthrough Through Genealogy
Othram used genome sequencing and genealogical research to identify a potential relative of the deceased. Detective Jason Hammer of the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office contacted the family, who agreed to provide a DNA sample through a private genealogy service.
The results confirmed the remains were those of Anthony Matthew Croy, born December 4, 1973.
Croy had vanished from the Portland, Oregon area around September 1995. At the time, he was only 21 years old.
Treated as Homicide
Given the confirmed evidence of gunshot wounds, detectives are investigating the case as a homicide. Officials say the circumstances surrounding Croy’s death remain unclear, but his identification marks a major step forward in a decades-old mystery.
For Croy’s family, the discovery provides long-awaited answers but also raises painful new questions about what happened to him nearly 30 years ago.
Public Help Still Needed
Authorities continue to seek information about Croy’s disappearance and death. Detectives believe members of the public may hold key details that could help close the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jason Hammer at the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office at 360-577-3092.
The Role of Forensic Genealogy
This case highlights the growing role of forensic genealogy in solving cold cases. While traditional DNA testing and CODIS searches can stall when no immediate matches are found, advanced genome sequencing allows labs like Othram to build family trees and identify relatives of unidentified remains.
The process has been used across the country to solve murders, identify John and Jane Does, and bring closure to families who have waited years for answers.
For more information on the DNA identification methods used in this case, officials have directed the public to DNASolves.com.
A Step Toward Closure
Nearly three decades after his disappearance, Anthony Matthew Croy’s identity has been restored, thanks to science, persistence, and cooperation between investigators and his family.
While detectives continue to piece together the events leading to his death, the identification brings Croy’s loved ones closer to closure—and renews hope that someone, somewhere, still holds the missing piece of this tragic puzzle.
