Cause of death still pending for Mason County man who went missing Nov. 15
The cause of death for a Mason County man who went missing Nov. 15 is still pending, the Mason County Coroner said Sunday.
Coroner Wes Stockwell said he suspects the man, Gary W. Ballentine, 68, died from hypothermia.
An official cause of death won’t be determined until his office receives a toxicology report, Stockwell said. Foul play is not suspected, he said.
Ballentine was reported missing the morning of Nov. 15, according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. He had been seen, with his dog, the morning of Nov. 14 on his way to the Hoodsport post office. His unoccupied vehicle was later found on Schoolhouse Road, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Ballentine was thought to be looking at property in the area.
K-9 and ground search teams from Jefferson, Kitsap, Pierce, and Mason counties searched for the man until 11:30 p.m. Sunday night, according to the Sheriff’s Office. On Tuesday morning, the Sheriff’s Office announced that Ballentine had been found.
“We are sad to report that Mr. Ballentine was located deceased in the area where he was believed to be looking at a large parcel of property,” a post on Facebook reads. “He was found with his faithful dog at his side.”
This story was originally published November 22, 2020 at 10:04 AM.
