Id'ing Of Remains Gives Youth's Family Closure

A sense of closure has come to the Leschi-area house where Richard Joseph Mitchell lived.

The 18-year-old, known as Richie, disappeared near Stevens Pass in January 1988 along with friend Alan Etherington, 16.

Now the King County Medical Examiner's Office has identified remains found near Tye Lake as those of Mitchell.

At the Mitchell house on 31st Avenue South, a family member, who asked not to be identified, said the discovery and identification bring a sense of conclusion to the eight-year mystery.

Mitchell, son of Dick and Roberta Mitchell, and Etherington had driven to the pass in the afternoon, the relative said.

The youths arrived at a family cabin, known as Hope Lodge, a half-mile past the summit of Stevens Passand apparently went hiking.

Darkness came less than two hours later, said the relative, and the youths apparently became disoriented.

When their parents didn't hear from the teenagers, they contacted authorities.

An extensive air and ground search was conducted, but no trace of the youths was found until this month.

The remains were discovered by a hiker more than a week ago, and King County deputies were able to recover them Wednesday.

The relative said an identification card was found with the remains, and the medical examiner's office said final identification was made through dental records. The second set of remains has not been formally identified, but the relative said they are believed to be Etherington's.

The area where the remains were found is less than a mile west of the Pacific Crest trail.