Press Release: Lewis County Detectives Recover Body
PRESS RELEASE
Date/Time: 06-28-18 @ 2225
Contact: Chief Deputy Bruce F. Kimsey
Phone: 360-748-9286
Release #: 1
Lewis County Detectives Recover Body
On June 27, at approximately 7:45 a.m. a 16 year old boy was reported as a runaway or possible missing person to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) by the boy’s family. It was reported that the 16 year old lived with his father in Randle and was last seen on June 23, 2018. Prior to reporting him missing to law enforcement, family and friends attempted to locate the juvenile, but were unsuccessful. The information relayed to the LCSO was that the 16 year old had last been in contact with a same-aged male friend who lived nearby, the two of which had been friends for years.
Deputies were told the two had planned on meeting up that evening, but according to the friend, the missing 16 year old never showed up. That was the last known contact with the missing 16 year old. Deputies interviewed the friend on June 28, 2018, and he relayed that he had not seen the missing 16 year old in several days.
As part of the investigation into the whereabouts of the missing teen, on June 28, 2018, at about 4:00 PM, deputies and detectives from the LCSO were canvassing an area in Randle, WA. The canvas lead them to a remote property belonging the friend’s relative off of Cispus Road, where deputies received information of a possible shallow grave. Initially deputies were advised the gravesite was for a dog that had recently died, but felt the information was suspicious in light of recent report of the runaway/missing juvenile.
It was here that deputies located a fresh gravesite in a wooded area away from any buildings on the property. Located within the shallow gravesite deputies discovered a body of an unidentified individual. It is unknown at this time if the discovery of this gravesite and body are connected to the missing juvenile. At this time, the investigation is ongoing. The identity of the deceased is not known at this time, but will be released by the Lewis County Coroner’s Office upon positive identification and next of kin being notified.
As part of the ongoing missing person investigation, the LCSO is attempting to locate the missing 16 year old’s friend and the friends 21 year old brother.
The 16 year old friend has been identified as Benito Marquez, and goes by the name Benny. Mr. Marquez’s brother has been identified as Jonathan Adamson. Anyone with information regarding the missing/runaway juvenile and/or the whereabouts of these two individuals is encouraged to contact the LCSO.
Anyone having information on these crimes or any other crime, should contact the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286.
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