Human remains found in Olympic National Park identified as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr.

Human remains discovered in Olympic National Park 26 years ago have been identified as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr. The remains were found inside a sleeping bag in a tent along the Sol Duc River drainage, along with several personal items including binoculars and winter gear, according to the National Park Service. Investigators initially estimated that the deceased was a man aged between 30 and 50 who had been dead for several months or years. Advances in DNA technology allowed forensic experts to submit a DNA sample for testing in 2024, leading to the identification of Serrao. Born in 1960, Serrao had not been in contact with his family since 1998 and was originally from Hawaii. The circumstances of his death remain undisclosed. The National Park Service credited the resolution of the case to the efforts of law enforcement, forensic scientists, and genetic genealogy experts.