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Remains of man missing since 2019 found in Thurston County, Sheriff’s Office says

Human remains found in the Rochester/Grand Mound area have been identified as Matthew Anfeldt, who went missing from the area more than four years ago, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched Saturday, Oct. 28, after a hunter found remains. On Oct. 29, detectives and search and rescue workers returned to the area and conducted an extensive search using K9s from King and Lewis counties as well as volunteers to looking for additional remains.

On Thursday, the remains were identified as Anfeldt, who was last seen Feb. 28, 2019. At that time, the Sheriff’s Office asked the public for help finding the 20-year-old Anfeldt. According to The Olympian’s previous reporting, a neighbor had called deputies after Anfeldt came to her door ranting that his family was hurt or dead and “they were after him. Anfeldt then ran into the road, jumping on the hood of a car and the back of a truck. A worker at Speedway Grocery on Old Highway 99 later reported Anfeldt came into the store panicked, sweating and with dried blood around his mouth, the Sheriff’s Office reported at that time. Anfeldt ran away before deputies arrived.

Matthew Anfeldt was last seen Feb. 28 near Grand Mound.
Matthew Anfeldt was last seen Feb. 28 near Grand Mound. Courtesy photo Thurston County Sheriff's Office

The Sheriff’s Office has been in contact with Anfeldt’s family, according to Friday’s news release. An investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information, they’re asked to contact detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.

This story was originally published November 3, 2023 at 4:44 PM.

Ty Vinson
The Olympian
Ty Vinson covers the City of Olympia and keeps tabs on Tumwater and other communities in Thurston County. He joined The Olympian in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at the Northwest Indiana Times, the Oregonian and the Arizona Republic as a Pulliam Fellow. Support my work with a digital subscription
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