Man found near Rainier Road died from a self-inflicted wound, coroner says

A 23-year-old man found dead near Rainier Road the morning of Oct. 5 died from a self-inflicted wound, the Thurston County Coroner said Tuesday.

The Olympian typically does not report on such incidents unless they happen in a public area.

About 10:40 a.m. that Sunday, an off-duty Thurston County Sheriff’s deputy found a vehicle and then a man’s body nearby in the 9200 block of Rainier Road Southeast, Coroner Gary Warnock said. That location is between Lacey and Rainier.

The Sheriff’s Office initially treated the death as suspicious, but then determined there was no connection between the vehicle and the man, Warnock said.

If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM.