Human remains discovered on a Washington beach in 2006 have recently been identified as those of Clarence Edwin “Ed” Asher, a 72-year-old former Oregon mayor who vanished during a crabbing trip that year.
Asher disappeared while crabbing in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, on September 5, 2006, and was declared legally dead after authorities presumed he had drowned. His skeletal remains were found in November 2006 on a beach in Taholah, an unincorporated village on the Quinault Indian Reservation in Grays Harbor County, Washington.
The Grays Harbor County Coroner’s Office and King County Medical Examiner’s Office announced the identification on January 13, 2026, following advanced DNA analysis conducted by Othram, a Texas-based laboratory specializing in forensic genetic genealogy.
For nearly 20 years, the remains were known only as Grays Harbor County John Doe. Initial investigation determined the remains belonged to an adult male approximately five feet nine inches tall, weighing between 170 and 180 pounds, and likely aged between 20 and 60 years.
The case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, but investigators could not establish the man’s identity using traditional methods. The remains showed advanced decomposition when discovered.
In 2025, the Grays Harbor County Coroner’s Office partnered with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office to submit forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Scientists at the laboratory developed a DNA extract from the evidence and used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile.
The laboratory’s forensic genetic genealogy team conducted a genetic genealogy search using the DNA profile, generating new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement. These leads enabled investigators to locate potential relatives of the unidentified man.
Authorities contacted family members and collected reference DNA samples from a relative. When compared to the DNA profile of the unidentified remains, the samples produced a positive match, confirming the identity as Asher.
Asher was born in Salem, Oregon, on April 2, 1934. He was raised in Astoria before moving to Fossil, Oregon, in 1952. He worked as a lineman technician for the Fossil Telephone Company until his retirement in 1995.
In 1965, Asher opened Asher’s Variety Store in Fossil. He served as mayor of the small town and dedicated significant time to community service. He volunteered as a local fireman and ambulance driver, serving on both the ambulance and museum boards.
Asher’s wife told the Coast Guard that her husband typically did not wear a life vest while out on the bay and could not swim, leading investigators to conclude he had drowned. Officials suspected he fell overboard, and the Coast Guard suspended its search after 11 hours.
The location where his remains were discovered lies approximately 185 miles north of Tillamook Bay. Ocean currents and tides likely transported the remains along the coastal region.
Helen Asher survived her husband by 12 years, passing away in 2018 at age 85. The couple married on March 15, 1986, in Condon, Oregon. After 20 years of marriage to Ed, he unexpectedly passed away in the fishing accident in 2006, leaving a large hole in Helen’s heart.
Helen had been previously widowed in 1980 after 28 years of marriage to her first husband, Joseph Neys, whom she married in 1952.
Asher and Helen shared a large blended family. At the time of his death, Asher was survived by his wife, three children, two stepsons, 21 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. His interests included his family, antique cars, fishing, boating, hunting, black Labrador retrievers, cooking, and recreational vehicle travel.
Critical funding for the forensic genetic genealogy testing was provided by Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown, and the Washington State Legislature.
This case represents the 43rd successful identification in Washington using technology developed by Othram. The laboratory has become increasingly instrumental in solving cold cases involving unidentified remains throughout the United States.
The identification brings closure to a case that spanned nearly two decades. Asher worked as a lineman for the Fossil Telephone Company before retiring in 1995 and was also a past mayor of Fossil. He also operated his variety store, volunteered in emergency services, and served in municipal government.
The successful identification after 19 years demonstrates the value of preserving forensic evidence from unidentified remains cases, even when initial investigation attempts prove unsuccessful. Advances in DNA technology have enabled scientists to extract and analyze genetic material from evidence that previously yielded no results.