Skeletal Remains Found on Washington Beach Identified as Former Mayor Missing for Nearly 20 Years

A nearly 20-year-old missing persons case has been solved after advanced DNA testing identified skeletal remains found along the Washington coast as Clarence Edwin “Ed” Asher, a former Oregon mayor who disappeared in 2006.

Asher vanished during a solo crabbing trip in Tillamook Bay and was presumed drowned after an extensive search failed to locate him. Months later, unidentified remains were discovered on a Washington beach and classified as a John Doe.

In 2024, modern forensic DNA and genetic genealogy testing confirmed the remains were Asher’s, finally bringing long-awaited answers and closure to his family.