Washington Beach Skeleton Solved: DNA Identifies Missing Oregon Mayor After 19 Years
Authorities have finally solved a nearly two-decade-old mystery. A skeleton found on a remote Washington State beach in 2006 belongs to a former Oregon mayor who disappeared during a fishing trip.
The Disappearance and Initial Search
Clarence Edwin "Ed" Asher vanished on September 5, 2006. The 72-year-old former mayor of Fossil, Oregon, was fishing at Tillamook Bay along Oregon's coast when he went missing.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched an extensive search operation immediately. They called off the search just one day later on September 6, 2006. Authorities quickly concluded Asher had drowned.
His wife Helen provided crucial information to investigators. She revealed Asher was not wearing a life jacket during his fishing trip. She also confirmed he did not know how to swim.
The Skeletal Discovery and Years of Uncertainty
Two months after Asher's disappearance, beachcombers made a grim discovery. They found skeletal remains on a beach in Taholah, Washington.
Taholah is an unincorporated village located on the Quinault Indian Reservation. This location sits approximately 185 miles north of Tillamook Bay where Asher disappeared.
The Grays Harbor County Sheriff's Office and Coroner's Office attempted to identify the remains. They examined the skeleton thoroughly but found no meaningful leads. The case went cold.
Authorities registered the remains in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. They listed the skeleton as Grays Harbor County John Doe. Eventually, officials buried the remains alongside other unresolved cases.
Breakthrough Through Modern DNA Technology
The case received new attention in 2025. Investigators sent forensic evidence to Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy firm. This company specializes in solving missing persons cases through advanced DNA analysis.
Othram scientists generated a comprehensive DNA profile from the skeletal remains. They then compared this profile to a DNA sample provided by one of Asher's relatives.
The genetic match was conclusive. After nineteen years of uncertainty, authorities confirmed the Washington beach skeleton was indeed Ed Asher, Fossil's missing mayor.
Remembering Ed Asher: A Pillar of His Community
Ed Asher was much more than a former mayor. He was a dedicated community servant who spent his life improving Fossil, Oregon.
Asher worked for nearly five decades as a lineman for the Fossil Telephone Company. He simultaneously ran the Asher Variety Store in town. His community involvement extended far beyond these roles.
He volunteered extensively as a firefighter and ambulance driver for his community. Asher also served briefly as Fossil's mayor before retiring in 1995.
The Personal Tragedy: Helen Asher's Story
Ed Asher's sudden disappearance devastated his wife Helen. His passing created what family described as "a large hole in Helen's heart."
The tragedy motivated Helen to return to Condon, Oregon. This was the town where the couple married in 1986. Helen Asher passed away in 2018 at age 85 after a prolonged battle with cancer.
The DNA identification finally provides closure to a case that remained open for nineteen years. It answers questions about what happened to a respected community leader who vanished during a simple fishing trip.
