People hiking in Washington state found human remains that matched a woman who went missing two years ago.
Hikers found clothing and two bones Sunday near Rose Valley, 120 miles south of Seattle, and informed the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives were led to the scene by one of the hikers Monday, and they subsequently found “nearly complete skeletal remains” along with more clothing and personal belongings, the sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
A forensic expert examined the skull and matched it positively to the dental records of Hailey Athay, the sheriff’s office said.
Athay, 33, was last seen in Kelso, near Rose Valley, in November 2024. She was first reported missing in January 2025, according to local newspaper The Chronicle.
Her family reported that Athay went hunting for mushrooms in the area with a friend shortly before her disappearance, according to the Centralia paper.
The sheriff’s office said the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office was working to figure out Athay’s cause of death. The agency did not say whether it suspects foul play.
